Putrify

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To undergo the biological breakdown of organic matter that results in an offensive smell and the formation of toxic substances
2. To experience the natural decay of matter which produces unpleasant odors and harmful byproducts during the decomposition process
3. To decompose through bacterial action causing a strong offensive odor and toxic decay products

Etymology: "Putrify" is a spelling variant of "putrefy," and the two have been used side by side in English for centuries. The root is the Latin "putrere," meaning to be rotten or to decay, which gave rise to "putris," meaning rotten or decayed. English took "putrefy" through Middle French "putréfier," a verb formed on the same Latin base with the suffix "-fier," from Latin "-ficare," meaning to make or to cause to become. The word therefore describes a process that literally means "to make rotten." The "-fy" ending explains the spelling you see here. English has many verbs built this way, such as "simplify" and "terrify," and writers sometimes apply the pattern to "putrefy," producing "putrify." The alternative form is common enough to appear in dictionaries, though "putrefy" remains the standard spelling.

Synonyms: decay, decompose, rot, fester, molder

Antonyms: freshen, purify, revitalize