putréfaction

/pytʁefaksjɔ̃/

la noun B2

le (masc.) la (fem.)

Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.

N Register Neutral Era Current Frequency Common Domain Medical Tone Negative
Word fingerprint: Register: neutral. Era: current. Frequency: common. Domain: medical. Connotation: negative.

Forms

plural
putréfactions

Meaning

  1. putrefaction, decay (of organic matter)

N Category Thing Concreteness Concrete Animacy Inanimate Countability Countable Scope Individual
Meaning fingerprint: Category: thing. Concreteness: concrete. Animacy: inanimate. Countability: countable. Scope: individual.

Usage notes

Describes organic matter rotting down, often by bacteria or fungi -- more clinical/technical than the everyday verb pourrir ("to rot").

Practice

1 What does putréfaction mean?

2 Fill the gap: La ___ des feuilles mortes nourrit le sol.

3 Which fingerprint chart matches putréfaction?

noun

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