# root vs rot

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### root
*noun · IPA /ɹuːt/ · frequency rank #3,583*
The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.

### rot
*verb · IPA /ɹɒt/ · frequency rank #11,285*
To suffer decomposition due to biological action, especially by fungi or bacteria.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/root-vs-rot