corrosion

American  

[kuh-roh-zhuhn] / kəˈroʊ ʒən /

noun

1. the act or process of corroding; condition of being corroded.

2. a product of corroding, as rust.

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corrosion British  

/ kəˈrəʊʒən /

noun

1. a process in which a solid, esp a metal, is eaten away and changed by a chemical action, as in the oxidation of iron in the presence of water by an electrolytic process

2. slow deterioration by being eaten or worn away

3. the condition produced by or the product of corrosion

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corrosion Scientific  

/ kə-rō′zhən /

1. The breaking down or destruction of a material, especially a metal, through chemical reactions. The most common form of corrosion is rusting, which occurs when iron combines with oxygen and water.

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Other Word Forms

• corrosional adjective

Etymology

Origin of corrosion

1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French ) < Late Latin corrōsiōn- (stem of corrōsiō ) a gnawing away, equivalent to Latin corrōs ( us ), past participle of corrōdere to corrode + -iōn- -ion

Related Words

• decay
• decomposition
• deterioration
• erosion
• rust