corrode

/kəˈɹəʊd/

//kəˈɹəʊd// verb

"corrode" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“corrode” is an uncommon English word, ranked #59,300 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#59,300
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To eat away bit by bit; to wear away or diminish by gradually separating or destroying small particles of, as by action of a strong acid or a caustic alkali.

Key facts for corrode
PropertyValue
Headwordcorrode
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kəˈɹəʊd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#59,300
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “corrode” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). corrode lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for corrode is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈɹəʊd/. Corpus data places it at rank #59,300 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

corrode doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English corrōden, that borrowed from Old French corroder or directly from Latin corrōdere (“to gnaw”), from con- (“completely”) + rōdere (“to gnaw”). The correct English form is corrode, spelled C-O-R-R-O-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To eat away bit by bit; to wear away or diminish by gradually separating or destroying small particles of, as by action of a strong acid or a caustic alkali.
  2. 2
    To consume; to wear away; to prey upon; to impair.
  3. 3
    To have corrosive action; to be subject to corrosion.

Etymology

From Middle English corrōden, that borrowed from Old French corroder or directly from Latin corrōdere (“to gnaw”), from con- (“completely”) + rōdere (“to gnaw”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "corrode"?
"corrode" is spelled C-O-R-R-O-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈɹəʊd/.
What does "corrode" mean?
As a verb, "corrode" means: To eat away bit by bit; to wear away or diminish by gradually separating or destroying small particles of, as by action of a strong acid or a caustic alkali.
How do you pronounce "corrode"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "corrode" is /kəˈɹəʊd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "corrode"?
From Middle English corrōden, that borrowed from Old French corroder or directly from Latin corrōdere (“to gnaw”), from con- (“completely”) + rōdere (“to gnaw”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “corrode”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-R-R-O-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kəˈɹəʊd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list