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Webster 1913 Edition

Putrefy

Pu′tre-fy

,
Verb.
T.
[Written also
putrify
.]
[
imp. & p. p.
Putrefied
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Putrefying
.]
[F.
putréfier
; L.
putrere
to be rotten +
-ficare
(in. comp.) to make; cf. L.
putrefacere
. See
Putrid
, and
-fy
.]
1.
To render putrid; to cause to decay offensively; to cause to be decomposed; to cause to rot.
2.
To corrupt; to make foul.
Private suits do
putrefy
the public good.
Bacon.
They would but stink, and
putrefy
the air.
Shakespeare
3.
To make morbid, carious, or gangrenous;
as, to
putrefy
an ulcer or wound
.

Pu′tre-fy

,
Verb.
I.
To become putrid; to decay offensively; to rot.
Isa. 1. 6.

Webster 1828 Edition

Putrefy

PU'TREFY

,
Verb.
T.
[L. putrefacio; putris,putrid, and facio, to make.]
1.
To cause to dissolve; to disorganize and reduce to the simple constituent elements, as animal or vegetable bodies; to cause to rot. Heat and moisture soon putrefy dead flesh or vegetables.
2.
To corrupt; to make foul; as, to putrefy the air. [Little used.]
3.
To make morbid, carious or gangrenous; as, to putrefy an ulcer or wound.

PU'TREFY

,
Verb.
I.
To dissolve and return to the original distinct elements, as animal and vegetable substances deprived of the living principle; to rot.

Definition 2024

putrefy

putrefy

English

Verb

putrefy ‎(third-person singular simple present putrefies, present participle putrefying, simple past and past participle putrefied)

  1. To become filled with a pus-like or bile-like substance.
  2. To reach an advanced stage of decomposition.
  3. To become gangrenous.
  4. To make morbid, carious, or gangrenous.
    to putrefy an ulcer or wound
  5. To corrupt; to make foul.
    • Francis Bacon
      Private suits do putrefy the public good.
    • Shakespeare
      They would but stink, and putrefy the air.

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations

See also

Etymology

From Middle French putréfier

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