English

Etymology

French corruption, from Latin corruptio

Noun

corruption (uncountable and countable; plural corruptions )

1. The act of corrupting or making putrid, or state of being corrupt or putrid; decomposition or disorganization, in the process of putrefaction; putrefaction; deterioration.

   The inducing and accelerating of putrefaction is a subject of very universal inquiry; for corruption is a reciprocal to generation. — Francis Bacon .

2. The product of corruption; putrid matter.
3. The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle; the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity or integrity; depravity; wickedness; impurity; bribery.

   It was necessary, by exposing the gross corruptions of monasteries, . . . to exite popular indignation against them. — Hallam

   They abstained from some of the worst methods of corruption usual to their party in its earlier days. — Bancroft

   • Usage note: Corruption, when applied to officers, trustees, etc., signifies the inducing a violation of duty by means of pecuniary considerations. — Abbott
4. The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct; as, a corruption of style; corruption in language.
5. (linguistics) A word that has adopted from another language but whose spelling has been changed through misunderstanding, transcription error, mishearing, etc.

Synonyms

• (act of corrupting or making putrid): adulteration, contamination, debasement , defilement , dirtying , soiling , tainting
• (state of being corrupt or putrid): decay, decomposition , deterioration, putrefaction, rotting
• (product of corruption; putrid matter): decay, putrescence , rot
• (act of impairing integrity, virtue or moral principle):
• (state of being corrupted or debased): debasement , depravity , evil, impurity, sinfulness , wickedness
• (bribery): bribery
• (act of changing for the worse): deterioration, worsening
• (act of being changed for the worse): destroying, ruining , spoiling
• (departure from what is pure or correct): deterioration, erosion
• (word adopted from another language whose spelling has been changed):

Derived terms

• corruption of blood