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putrefacción

putrefaction, decay

noun poo-treh-fahk-SYOHN Rare

Origin: Latin putrefactio (rotting)

Also means

rot

Usage Note

Putrefacción refers to the biological process of organic matter rotting, typically caused by bacteria. It is a formal or scientific term; in everyday speech, podredumbre or descomposición are more common. The related adjective pútrido (putrid) describes the state of something already decayed. The word ends in -ción and is feminine.

Examples

"El olor a putrefacción era insoportable."

Natural Translation

The smell of rot was unbearable.

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