putrid
/ˈpju.tɹəd/adjective
putrid is spelled P-U-T-R-I-D: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,660th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, putrid means “Rotting, rotten, being in a state of putrefaction” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in putrid?
| Letters | 6: P-U-T-R-I-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 41,660th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is putrid?
Putrid appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,660th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce putrid?
- UK /ˈpjuː.tɹɪd/
- US /ˈpju.tɹəd/
Putrid has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-I_learned_some_phrases-putrid.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of putrid
- more putrid comparative
- most putrid superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does putrid mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Rotting, rotten, being in a state of putrefaction.
putrid flesh; putrid matter; putrid meat
- 2
Of, relating to, or characteristic of putrefaction, especially having a bad smell, like that of rotting flesh.
putrid smell; putrid odor
- 3
Vile, disgusting.
- 4
Morally corrupt.
- 5
Totally objectionable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Putrid in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense rotting, rotten, being in a state of putrefaction:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | putride |
| German | verfault, verdorben, übelriechend, faulig, aasig |
| Portuguese | pútrido |
| Spanish | putrefacto, pútrido, podrido |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does putrid come from?
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French putride or directly from Latin putridus (“rotten, decayed”), from putreō (“to be rotten or putrid”), from puter (“rotten, decaying, putrid”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).