Bernard De Voto
Did you know?
Corrode comes from Latin corrodere ("to gnaw to pieces"), a combination of the prefix "cor-" (used here as an intensifier with the meaning of "completely") and the verb "rodere" ("to gnaw"). At one time, "corrode" was used to literally indicate the action of gnawing away, as in "woodworms corroded the wood." But it is the more figurative senses from the action of gnawing or eating away that have persisted, as in "salt water corroded the iron" or "graphic content on television and the Internet is corroding the moral fabric of society."
Examples of corrode in a Sentence
Tom Williams, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Over time, some of the artifacts had corroded together to form a tangled mass, which researchers had to carefully extract.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Carbonic acid corrodes metal and raises the threat of leaks.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025
Beyond that, it’s clearly corroded her relationships.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corrode
Cite this Entry
“Corrode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corrode. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
corrode
verb
Share