# rotten

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɹɒtn̩/ · frequency rank #9,531

## Definitions
1. Of perishable items, overridden with bacteria and other infectious agents.
2. In a state of decay.
3. Cruel, mean or immoral.
4. Bad or terrible.
5. Of stone or rock, crumbling or friable; in a loose or disintegrated state.
6. Very drunk, intoxicated.

## Etymology
From Middle English roten, from Old Norse rotinn (“decayed, rotten”), past participle of an unrecorded verb related to Old Norse rotna (“to rot”) and Old English rotian (“to rot”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”). See rot. By surface analysis, rot + -en (past participle).

## Easily confused with
- **route** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-route)
- **Rouen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-rouen)
- **routes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-routes)
- **router** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-router)
- **routed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-routed)
- **rutter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-rutter)
- **rotting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotten-vs-rotting)
- **rote** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rote-vs-rotten)
- **rosen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rosen-vs-rotten)
- **Rogen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rogen-vs-rotten)
- **roster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roster-vs-rotten)
- **rooted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rooted-vs-rotten)
- **rotate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotate-vs-rotten)
- **ritter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ritter-vs-rotten)
- **rattan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rattan-vs-rotten)
- **rotated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rotated-vs-rotten)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ortten`, `roten`, `rotetn`, `rottenn`, `rottne`, `rrotten`, `rtoten`

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