Main Entry:

cor·rode

Pronunciation:

\kə-ˈrōd\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

cor·rod·ed; cor·rod·ing

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin corrodere to gnaw to pieces, from com- + rodere to gnaw — more at rodent

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1: to eat away by degrees as if by gnawing ; especially : to wear away gradually usually by chemical action <the metal was corroded beyond repair>2: to weaken or destroy gradually : undermine <manners and miserliness that corrode the human spirit — Bernard De Voto>intransitive verb: to undergo corrosion

— cor·rod·ible \-ˈrō-də-bəl\ adjective