Standard Lemma guide

putrescent

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /pjuˈtɹɛsənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛsənt

1

adj

Meaning 1

Becoming putrid; putrefying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

becoming putrid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a trail lined by putrescent carcasses

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Attested since circa 1730, from Latin pūtrēscēns (“rotting”), present participle of pūtrēscō (“rot”).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: putrescent — becoming putrid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 將腐爛的 /将腐烂的 (jiāngfǔlànde) — becoming putrid
  • French: putrescent — becoming putrid
  • Japanese: 腐り掛かった (kusarikakatta) — becoming putrid
  • Latin: pūtrēscēns — becoming putrid
  • Romanian: putrescent — becoming putrid
  • Spanish: putrefacto — becoming putrid