Definition of putrefaction
1
: the decomposition of organic matter
especially
: the typically anaerobic splitting of proteins by bacteria and fungi with the formation of foul-smelling incompletely oxidized products
2
: the state of being putrefied : corruption
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for putrefaction
The first known use of putrefaction was in the 14th century
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