putrefaction
/ˌpjuːtɹəˈfækʃən/ · put·ref·ac·tion
noun
- The act of causing to rot; the anaerobic splitting of proteins by bacteria and fungi with the formation of malodorous, incompletely oxidized products. The scientist observed the putrefaction of the tissue sample under the microscope.
- Rotten material. The putrefaction in the compost heap attracted swarms of flies.
- The state of being rotten. A foul smell signaled the putrefaction of the fish left out in the sun.
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Did you know? Louis Pasteur’s experiments on putrefaction in the 1860s helped disprove spontaneous generation and laid the groundwork for modern microbiology.