erode

erode

verb \i-ˈrōd\

erod·ederod·ing

Definition of ERODE

transitive verb

1

: to diminish or destroy by degrees: a : to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer) b : to wear away by the action of water, wind, or glacial ice <flooding eroded the hillside> c : to cause to deteriorate or disappear as if by eating or wearing away <inflation eroding buying power>

2

: to produce or form by eroding <glaciers erode U-shaped valleys>

intransitive verb

: to undergo erosion <where the land has eroded away>

— erod·ibil·i·ty \-ˌrō-də-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— erod·ible also erod·able \-ˈrō-də-bəl\ adjective

Examples of ERODE

1. Crashing waves have eroded the cliffs along the beach.
2. The shoreline has eroded badly.

Origin of ERODE

Latin erodere to eat away, from e- + rodere to gnaw — more at rodent

First Known Use: 1612

Related to ERODE

Synonyms: bite (at), corrode, eat, fret, gnaw, nibble

Related Words: break down, break up, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve; decimate, destroy, devastate, ruin, waste, wreck

Near Antonyms: freshen, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with ERODE

abode, anode, bar code, boatload, busload, byroad, carload, cartload, caseload, cathode, church mode, commode, corrode, crossroad, dead load, decode, diode, displode, download, dress code, dynode, embowed, encode, epode, explode, forebode, freeload, front-load, geode, high road, implode, inroad, live load, lymph node, no-load, off-load, outmode, payload, planeload, postcode, post road, railroad, rhapsode, sarod, shipload, side road, Silk Road, skid road, source code, spring-load, square-toed, tetrode, threnode, trainload, triode, truckload, unload, upload, zip code