corruption
UK: kəˈrʌpʃən | US: kəˈrʌpʃən
n. dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery
n. the process of decay; moral degradation
n. alteration of a word or text from its original form
corruption = cor<together> + rupt<break> + ion<noun suffix>
- cor<together>: From Latin com- (intensive prefix meaning "with" or "together").
- rupt<break>: From Latin rumpere ("to break").
- ion<noun suffix>: Forms nouns indicating action or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word corruption traces back to Latin corruptio, derived from corrumpere ("to destroy, spoil, bribe"), combining com- (intensifying "thoroughly") and rumpere ("to break"). It originally described physical decay (e.g., rotting) and later extended to moral or systemic "breaking down," such as bribery or data alteration. The logic reflects a collapse of integrity, whether literal or metaphorical.
The investigation revealed widespread corruption in the government.
Food left too long will undergo corruption and become inedible.
The manuscript’s corruption made it difficult to decipher the original text.
Corruption undermines public trust in institutions.
Ancient texts often suffer from corruption over centuries of copying.