Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *pu-; compare Sanskrit पूयति ‎(pūyati, “stinks, rots”), Ancient Greek πῦον ‎(pûon, “discharge from a sore”), πύθειν ‎(púthein, “to rot”), Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐍃 ‎(fuls, “foul”), Old English fūl ‎(“foul”), perhaps ultimately echoic of a natural exclamation of disgust or abhorrence.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈpu.troː/, [ˈpʊ.troː]