Bernard De Voto
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Corrode comes from Latin corrodere ("to gnaw to pieces"), a combination of the prefix "cor-" (used here as an intensifier with the meaning of "completely") and the verb "rodere" ("to gnaw"). At one time, "corrode" was used to literally indicate the action of gnawing away, as in "woodworms corroded the wood." But it is the more figurative senses from the action of gnawing or eating away that have persisted, as in "salt water corroded the iron" or "graphic content on television and the Internet is corroding the moral fabric of society."
Examples of corrode in a Sentence
Sara Kendall, Miami Herald, 7 May 2024
Around the corroding skeletons of pump jacks, the ground is stained black from spills.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 22 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corrode 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corrode.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Corrode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corrode. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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corrode
verb
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