rupt-, -rupting, -ruption

(Latin: break, tear, rend; burst)

corrupt, corrupts; corrupted; corrupting (verbs)
1. To destroy or subvert the honesty or integrity of.
2. To ruin morally; to pervert.
3. To taint; to contaminate.
4. To cause to become rotten; to spoil.
5. To change the original form of; for example, a text.
6. In Computer Science: To damage (data) in a file or on a disk.
corrupted (adjective), more corrupted, most corrupted
1. Marked by immorality and perversion; depraved; perverted; wicked; evil: "The war in several countries have some of the most corrupted conditions for its citizens."
2. Guilty of dishonest practices; such as, bribery; lacking integrity; crooked: "A corrupted judge ruled in favor of one of the worst politicians ever known."
3. Made inferior or containing errors, misinterpretations, or incorrect alterations: "The author was accused of having a corrupted translation of the book."
4. Etymology: from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere, "to destroy, to spoil, to bribe"; from com-, "together" + rup-, past participle stem of rumpere, "to break".
corrupter (s) (noun), corrupters (pl)
Someone who vitiates (reduces the quality of) or produces unacceptable result: "The teacher was accused of being a corrupter of the results of the national test results of his students by raising their scores."
corruptibility (s) (noun)
The quality of being corruptible; the possibility or liability of being corrupted; corruptibleness.
corruptible (adjective)
1. Capable of being corrupted, or morally vitiated; susceptible of depravation.
2. Capable of being made corrupt; subject to decay.
3. That which may decay and perish; such as, the human body or any other natural creature, plant, fruit, etc.
corruptibly (adverb)
corruption (s), corruptions (pl) (nouns)
1. The act or process of corrupting.
2. The state of being corrupt.
3. Decay; rot.
4. Etymologically the word "corruption" comes from the Latin verb corruptus "to break"; past participle of corrumpere "to destroy" [com-, "together with", intensive prefix + rumpere, "to break"].

Conceptually, corruption is a form of behavior, which departs from ethics, morality, tradition, law, and civic virtue.

Extended definitions and examples

  • Lack of integrity or honesty (especially susceptibility to bribery); use of a position of trust for dishonest gain [syn: corruptness] [ant: incorruptness].
  • In a state of progressive putrefaction [syn: putrescence, putridness, rottenness].
  • Decay of matter; as by rot or oxidation.
  • Moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles: "the luxury and corruption among the upper classes"; "moral degeneracy followed intellectual degeneration"; "its brothels; its opium parlors; its depravity" [syn: degeneracy, depravity].
  • Destroying someone's (or some group's) honesty or loyalty; undermining moral integrity: "corruption of a minor"; "the big city's subversion of rural innocence" [syn: subversion].
  • Inducement (as of a public official) by improper means (as bribery) to violate duty (as by committing a felony): "He was held on charges of corruption and racketeering."
He that accuses all mankind of corruption ought to remember that he is sure to convict only one.
—Edmund Burke
corruptionist (s), corruptionists (pl) (nouns)
One who defends or practices corruption, particularly in politics.
corruptive (adjective)
1. Tending to corrupt or pervert.
2. Having a bad effect on someone's character or behavior.
corruptively (adverb)
corruptless (adjective)
Not susceptible to corruption or decay; incorruptible.
corruptly (adverb)
In a corrupt manner; by means of corruption or corrupting influences; wrongfully.
corruptness (s) (noun)
To ruin utterly in character or quality: was corrupted by limitless power; debased himself by pleading with his captors; a youth debauched by drugs and drink; indulgence that depraves the moral fiber; perverted her talent by putting it to evil purposes; a proof vitiated by a serious omission.
corruptress (s), corruptresses (pl) (nouns)
A woman who corrupts.
disrupt, disrupts; disrupted; disrupting (verbs)
1. To throw into confusion, turmoil, or disorder: "Protesters disrupted the candidate's speech."
2. To interrupt, destroy (usually temporarily), or to impede the progress, movement, or procedure of: "Our efforts in the garden were disrupted by an early frost."

"The silence in the library was disrupted when a shelf full of books fell on the floor."

3. To break apart, to disrupt a connection, or to burst: "

Related break, broken-word units: clast-; frag-.