rot

/ɹɒt/

//ɹɒt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"rot" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rot” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,285 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#11,285
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To suffer decomposition due to biological action, especially by fungi or bacteria.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

rot vs RS
0% similar
rot vs RT
0% similar
rot vs RP
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for rot
PropertyValue
Headwordrot
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɒt/
Letters3
Frequency rank#11,285
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rot” 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). rot 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 rot is 3 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɒt/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,285 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for rot, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "RS", "RT", "RP", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English roten, rotten, from Old English rotian (“to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy”), from Proto-West Germanic *rotēn, from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”). The correct English form is rot, spelled R-O-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To suffer decomposition due to biological action, especially by fungi or bacteria.
  2. 2
    To decline in function or utility.
  3. 3
    To (cause to) deteriorate in any way, as in morals; to corrupt.
  4. 4
    To make putrid; to cause to be wholly or partially decomposed by natural processes.
  5. 5
    To spend a long period of time (in an unpleasant place or state).
  6. 6
    To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret.
  7. 7
    To talk nonsense.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English roten, rotten, from Old English rotian (“to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy”), from Proto-West Germanic *rotēn, from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”).

Synonyms

putrefymolder

This word in other languages

pudrirse(Español)pourrir(Français)verrotten(Deutsch)

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 "rot"?
"rot" is spelled R-O-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɒt/.
What does "rot" mean?
As a verb, "rot" means: To suffer decomposition due to biological action, especially by fungi or bacteria.
What words are commonly confused with "rot"?
"rot" is commonly confused with "RS", "RT", "RP". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rot"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rot" is /ɹɒt/. 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 "rot"?
Inherited from Middle English roten, rotten, from Old English rotian (“to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy”), from Proto-West Germanic *rotēn, from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”). 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 “rot”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-O-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɒt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “RS” - see the side-by-side comparison. rot vs RS
  • 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