First Known Use: 1612
Dictionary
erode
verb \i-ˈrōd\
: to gradually destroy (something) or to be gradually destroyed by natural forces (such as water, wind, or ice)
erod·ederod·ing
Full Definition of ERODE
transitive verb
1
: to diminish or destroy by degrees: a : to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer) b : to wear away by the action of water, wind, or glacial ice <flooding eroded the hillside> c : to cause to deteriorate or disappear as if by eating or wearing away <inflation eroding buying power>
2
: to produce or form by eroding <glaciers erode U-shaped valleys>
intransitive verb
: to undergo erosion <where the land has eroded away>
— erod·ibil·i·ty \-ˌrō-də-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— erod·ible also erod·able \-ˈrō-də-bəl\ adjective
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Origin of ERODE
Latin erodere to eat away, from e- + rodere to gnaw — more at rodent
Rhymes with ERODE
abode, anode, bar code, boatload, busload, byroad, carload, cartload, caseload, cathode, church mode, commode, corrode, crossroad, dead load, decode, diode, displode, download, dress code, dynode, embowed, encode, epode, explode, forebode, freeload, front-load, geode, high road, implode, inroad, live load, lymph node, no-load, off-load, outmode, payload, planeload, postcode, post road, railroad, rhapsode, sarod, shipload, side road, Silk Road, skid road, source code, spring-load, square-toed, tetrode, threnode, trainload, triode, truckload, unload, upload, zip code
ERODE Defined for Kids
erode
verb \i-ˈrōd\
erod·ederod·ing
Definition of ERODE for Kids
: to destroy or be destroyed by wearing away <Waves erode the shore.>
Medical Dictionary
erode
transitive verb \i-ˈrōd\
erod·ederod·ing
Medical Definition of ERODE
1
: to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer) <acids that erode the teeth>
2
: to remove with an abrasive <a dental tool that erodes the decayed area>
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