putrefaction


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Related to putrefaction: intestinal putrefaction

pu·tre·fac·tion

 (pyo͞o′trə-făk′shən)
n.
1. Decomposition of organic matter, especially protein, by microorganisms, resulting in production of foul-smelling matter.
2. An amount of putrefied matter or an odor produced by such matter.

[Middle English putrefaccioun, from Late Latin putrefactiō, putrefactiōn-, from putrefactus, past participle of Latin putrefacere, to make rotten; see putrefy.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pu•tre•fac•tion

(ˌpyu trəˈfæk ʃən)

n.
1. bacterial or fungal decomposition of organic matter with resulting obnoxious odors; rotting.
2. the state of being putrefied; decay.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin putrefactiō decay = Latin putrefac(ere) to putrefy + -tiō -tion]
pu`tre•fac′tive, pu`tre•fa′cient (-ˈfeɪ ʃənt) adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.putrefaction - a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odorputrefaction - a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odor
decay - an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying; "the corpse was in an advanced state of decay"; "the house had fallen into a serious state of decay and disrepair"
putrescence, putridness, rottenness, corruption - in a state of progressive putrefaction
2.putrefaction - (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal actionputrefaction - (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action
biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms
decay - the process of gradually becoming inferior
3.putrefaction - moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles; "the luxury and corruption among the upper classes"; "moral degeneracy followed intellectual degeneration"; "its brothels, its opium parlors, its depravity"; "Rome had fallen into moral putrefaction"
immorality - the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense of the West on the threat of mutual assured destruction"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

putrefaction

noun
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

putrefaction

[ˌpjuːtrɪˈfækʃən] Nputrefacción f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

putrefaction

nVerwesung f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

putrefaction

[ˌpjuːtrɪˈfækʃn] nputrefazione f
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

pu·tre·fac·tion

n. putrefacción, condición de ser pútrido-a, corrompido-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
Directly Rostov entered the door he was enveloped by a smell of putrefaction and hospital air.
For the first, the ornaments of images gilt, or of marble, which are in use, do well: but the main matter is so to convey the water, as it never stay, either in the bowls or in the cistern; that the water be never by rest discolored, green or red or the like; or gather any mossiness or putrefaction. Besides that, it is to be cleansed every day by the hand.
Presently a smoke rose about our feet--a smoke that smelled of all the dead things of earth, of all the putrefaction and corruption imaginable.
And I shall have to tell you later that even the processes of putrefaction and decay had been profoundly affected by these changes.
But by virtue of this natural selection of our kind we have developed resisting power; to no germs do we succumb without a struggle, and to many-- those that cause putrefaction in dead matter, for instance --our living frames are altogether immune.
Come," and with the words I dashed forward, across the fetid mass of putrefaction.
Mysterious as this circumstance appears to be, it is not more surprising than that the body of one's fellow-creature, directly after death, and before putrefaction has commenced, should often be of so deleterious a quality, that the mere puncture from an instrument used in its dissection, should prove fatal.
Putrefaction is always to be apprehended when the souls are consigned to us in the usual way."
They were thought to be imperfect animals, lacking internal organs and born by spontaneous generation, produced by the putrefaction of matter like meat, mud, or cheese.
(2) Metchnikoff suggested that eating fermented milk products would "implant" beneficial, lactic acid-producing bacteria in the intestinal tract and would "arrest intestinal putrefaction and must at the same time postpone and ameliorate old age." Metchnikoff based his thinking on two observations.