putrefy
/ˈpjutɹəfaɪ/
"putrefy" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“putrefy” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To fester or rot and exude a fetid stench.
Corpus desk
Index EN-putrefy · putrefy · English
putrefy · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 7 letters
- VOW-3 3 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "P" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | putrefy |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈpjutɹəfaɪ/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “putrefy” in English
Rare enough to double-check
putrefy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈpjutɹəfaɪ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for putrefy, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French putréfier. The correct English form is putrefy, spelled P-U-T-R-E-F-Y.
Definition
- 1To fester or rot and exude a fetid stench.
- 2To become filled with a pus-like or bile-like substance.
- 3To reach an advanced stage of decomposition.
- 4To become gangrenous.
- 5To make morbid, carious, or gangrenous.
- 6To corrupt; to make foul.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how putrefy appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
In the Middle Ages, for instance, a recipe for sex stimulation required the putrefied flesh of a human corpse, together with both human and animal testes and ovaries, pimento, and alcohol.
to putrefy an ulcer or wound
Etymology
From Middle French putréfier.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.