rotten

rot·ten

Use rotten in a sentence

Three rotten oranges.

adjective

The definition of rotten is someone or something extremely bad, corrupt, spoiled, unpleasant or decaying.

A bad attitude is an example of something that would be described as a rotten attitude.
A person who is bad at tennis is an example of someone who would be described as a rotten tennis player.
A public official who accepts bribes is an example of a rotten individual.
Food with mold growing on it is an example of something that would be described as rotten.

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"rotten." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 September 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/rotten>.

APA Style

rotten. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/rotten

rotten

in a decayed or decomposed state; spoiled, putrefied, tainted, etc.
having a bad odor because of decomposition or decay; putrid; foul-smelling
morally corrupt or offensive; dishonest, open to bribery, etc.
unsound or weak, as if decayed within
soft or easily broken as because of decomposition; friable: said of rocks, ice, etc.
Slang very bad, unsatisfactory, nasty, etc.

Origin of rotten

Middle English roten from Old Norse rotinn from Indo-European an unverified form reud- from base an unverified form reu-, to tear, rip open (from source rude): probably used origin, originally of flax left to soak and rot

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"rotten." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 September 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/rotten>.

APA Style

rotten. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/rotten

rotten

adjective

rot·ten·er, rot·ten·est

Being in a state of putrefaction or decay; decomposed.
Having a foul odor resulting from or suggestive of decay; putrid.
Made weak or unsound by rot: rotten floorboards.
Morally corrupt or despicable: She's rotten to the core.
Very bad; wretched: rotten weather.

adverb

To a very great degree: The child is spoiled rotten.

Origin of rotten

Middle English roten from Old Norse rotinn

Related Forms:

rot′ten·ly
adverb

rot′ten·ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"rotten." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 September 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/rotten>.

APA Style

rotten. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/rotten

Adjective

(comparative rottener or more rotten, superlative rottenest or most rotten)

Of perishable items, overridden with bacteria and other infectious agents.
If you leave a bin unattended for a few weeks, the rubbish inside will turn rotten.
In a state of decay.
The floors were damaged and the walls were rotten.
His mouth stank and his teeth were rotten.
Cruel, mean or immoral.
That man is a rotten father.
This rotten policy will create more injustice in this country.
Bad or terrible.
Why is the weather always rotten in this city?
It was a rotten idea to take the boat out today.
She has the flu and feels rotten.

Usage notes

Nouns to which "rotten" is often applied: wood, food, egg, meat, fruit, tomato, apple, banana, milk, vegetable, stuff, tooth, smell, person, kid, bastard, scoundrel, weather.

Adverb

(comparative more rotten, superlative most rotten)

To an extreme degree.
That kid is spoilt rotten.
The girls fancy him something rotten.

Anagrams

Trento

Origin

From Middle English roten, from Old Norse rotinn (“decayed, rotten”), past participle of an unrecorded verb related to Old Norse rotna (“to rot”) and Old English rotian (“to rot”). More at rot.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.