gangrene

[ gang-green, gang-green ]

noun

1. necrosis or death of soft tissue due to obstructed circulation, usually followed by decomposition and putrefaction.
2. moral or spiritual corruption and decadence that pervades an individual or group:

   “This church body has been afflicted with a spiritual gangrene that is poisoning our relationship with the Lord,” the preacher expostulated.

   Synonyms: degeneracy, depravity, rot, decay

verb (used with or without object)

, gan·grened, gan·gren·ing.

1. to affect or become affected with gangrene.

gangrene

/ ˈɡæŋɡriːn; ˈɡæŋɡrɪnəs /

noun

1. death and decay of tissue as the result of interrupted blood supply, disease, or injury
2. moral decay or corruption

verb

1. to become or cause to become affected with gangrene

gangrene

/ găng′grēn′ /

1. Death of tissue in a living body, especially in a limb, caused by a bacterial infection resulting from a blockage of the blood supply to the affected tissue.

gangrene

1. The death and decay of body tissue owing to insufficient supply of blood .

Derived Forms

• gangrenous, adjective

Other Words From

• gan·gre·nous [gang, -gr, uh, -n, uh, s], adjective
• non·gangre·nous adjective
• un·gangrened adjective
• un·gangre·nous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gangrene¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French gangrene (earlier cancrene ), from Latin gangraena, from Greek gángraina “an eating sore”

Word History and Origins

Origin of gangrene¹

C16: from Latin gangraena, from Greek gangraina an eating sore; related to Greek gran to gnaw

Example Sentences

By World War II, even as scientists were manufacturing gallons of phages to combat cholera, dysentery, and gangrene in Stalingrad and Leningrad, much the West had given up on phages.

From Salon

Her lower legs were amputated after she developed gangrene at age 7.

From Seattle Times

It was in Chicago in 1971, and the man had gotten drunk and passed out in the snow, his fingers so frozen that gangrene eventually set in.

From New York Times

A 13-year-old at the hospital, Mr. Chaiban said, had developed gangrene from a hand injury and had to undergo an operation to amputate his arm — without anesthesia.

From New York Times

"Without medicine, gangrene took hold and he ultimately lost his arm during an amputation without anaesthetic," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• blight
• corrosion
• decomposition
• degeneration
• deterioration
• disintegration
• disrepair
• extinction
• impairment
• rot