rotted
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /ˈrɒtɪd/
KK: /ˈrɑtɪd/
adjective
Definition
Damaged or decomposed due to decay, often referring to organic matter that has broken down.
Example
The rotted fruit had a terrible smell and was covered in mold.
Conversation
I found some old fruit in the fridge, and it was completely rotted.
Ugh, that's so gross! Why do we let things sit in there for so long?
I don't know, but we need to clean it out before it gets any worse.
Definitely! I hate when our fridge smells like rotted food.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
decayed
decomposed
putrid
Antonyms
fresh
whole
sound
verb
Definition
To have decayed or decomposed, usually due to the action of bacteria or fungi.
Example
The fruit rotted after being left out for too long.
Tense Forms
Past: rotted
Past Participle: rotted
Conversation
I found some old fruit in the fridge yesterday.
Oh no, what happened to it?
It had completely rotted away!
Root Explanation
Rotten → It is formed from "rot" (from Old English *rotian*, meaning to decay or decompose) and the suffix "-ed" (indicating a past participle). The word "rotted" means having decayed or decomposed in the past.
Memory Tip
Think of something that has 'decayed' ('rot') in the past, which is what 'rotted' describes.
Visually Confused Words
rotated
unrotted
rosetted
grottoed
sotted
rotate
rooted
retted