corrosion
Corrosion (noun) means the gradual wearing away of a material, especially metal, through chemical reaction such as rusting. Example: “Regular painting helps prevent corrosion on the ship's hull.”
How to use corrosion
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDamage caused by a slow chemical process like rust, or a figurative slow breakdown of something.
Word forms
- Plural
- corrosions
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Regular painting helps prevent _____ on the ship's hull.
Etymology
From Old French corrosion, from Latin corrodere, "to gnaw away" — from com- ("thoroughly") plus rodere, "to gnaw".