putrid

P3U1T1R1I1D2
UK/ˈpjuː.tɹɪd/US/ˈpju.tɹɪd/

adjective

Rotting, rotten, putrefying.

“a putrid sore; putrid odor”

Similar
fetidfoulfoul-smellingmalodorousstinkingstalecorrupt
OriginLatin putridus ← Old French putride ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

adjectiveputrid (comparative more putrid, superlative most putrid)

comparative more putrid · superlative most putrid

  1. Rotting, rotten, putrefying.

    putrid flesh; putrid matter; putrid meat

    2 more examples

    Quake guzzell dogs, that live on putrid slime.

    1599, W. Kinsayder or Theriomastix [pseudonyms; John Marston], The Scourge of Villanie. […], London: […] I[ames] R[oberts], →OCLC; republished as G[eorge] B[agshawe] Harrison, editor, The Scourge of Villanie (The Bodley Head Quartos; 13), London: John Lane, The Bodley Head […]; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Company, 1925, →OCLC

    […]vast quantities of putrid whale flesh were blasted into the sky

    2020 December, Dave Barry, Year in review
  2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of putrefaction; especially, having a bad smell, like that of rotting flesh.

    a putrid sore; putrid odor

    Synonyms: fetid, foul, foul-smelling, malodorous, stinking

  3. Vile, disgusting.
  4. figurativelyMorally corrupt.
  5. Totally objectionable .

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf, relating to, or characteristic of putrefaction; especially, having a bad smell, like that of rotting flesh.

Similar
fetidfoulfoul-smellingmalodorousstinking

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivein an advanced state of decomposition and having a foul odor

Similar
stale

adjectivemorally corrupt or evil

Similar
corrupt
Also see
decayeddozymalodorousrotten

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*puH-
  2. Latinputer
  3. Latinputreō
  4. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  5. Latinputridus
  6. Old Frenchputride
  7. Latinputridus
  8. Englishputrid

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French putride or directly from Latin putridus (“rotten, decayed”), from putreō (“to be rotten or putrid”), from puter (“rotten, decaying, putrid”).

More words from Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek σαπρός
  • σαπρός (saprós)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Bulgarian гнил, разложен
  • гнил (gnil)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • разложен (razložen)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Catalan pútrid
  • pútridrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Chinese Mandarin 腐爛的 /腐烂的, 腐敗的 /腐败的
  • 腐爛的 /腐烂的 (fǔlàn de)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • 腐敗的 /腐败的 (fǔbài de)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Czech shnilý, hnijící
  • shnilýrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • hnijícírotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • zkaženýrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Dutch verderfelijk, rottend
  • verderfelijkrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • rottendrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Esperanto putra
  • putrarotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Finnish mätä
  • mätärotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
French putride
  • putriderotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
German verfault, verdorben
  • verfaultrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • verdorbenrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • übelriechendrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • fauligrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • aasigrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Greek σάπιος
  • σάπιος (sápios)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Hungarian rothadt, rothadó
  • rothadtrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • rothadórotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Italian putrido
  • putridorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Japanese 腐敗した
  • 腐敗した (fuhai shita)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Latin puter
  • puterrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Māori ero, piro
  • erorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • pirorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • kerakerarotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • pīhongarotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • piraurotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • kōhangohangorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Polish zgniły
  • zgniłyrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Portuguese pútrido
  • pútridorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Romanian putred
  • putredrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Russian гнию́щий, гнило́й
  • гнию́щий (gnijúščij)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • гнило́й (gnilój)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Spanish putrefacto, pútrido
  • putrefactorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • pútridorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
  • podridorotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Thai เน่าเหม็น
  • เน่าเหม็นrotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Ukrainian гнили́й
  • гнили́й (hnylýj)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction
Yiddish פֿױל
  • פֿױל (foyl)rotting, rotten, in a state of putrefaction

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

turpid
Cite this entry
APA

putrid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/putrid

MLA

“putrid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/putrid. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “putrid,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/putrid.

Source: putrid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.