corrupt

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kəˈɹʌpt/ See IPA manual

Freq #6316

Meanings

1

adj
Willing to act dishonestly in return for money or power.

The government here is corrupt, so many people want to leave.
2

verb
To make someone become dishonest or morally bad.

He worried that power would corrupt his old friend.
3

adj
Containing errors so that it no longer works properly.

The download failed and left me with a corrupt file.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to make someone become... pervert debauch pollute

3 adj · containing errors so that... corrupted

Word family

Forms corruptingcorruptsuncorrupt

Derived forms corruptablecorrupteecorruptfulcorrupticiancorruptinglycorruptivecorruptlesscorruptlycorruptnesscorruptocracycorruptorincorrupt

Related forms corruptible corruption incorruptible

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely

Simplified etymology

Corrupt comes from Latin corrumpere “mar, bribe, destroy,” formed from cor- “altogether” and rumpere “to break.”

Etymology

From Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”).

*Hrewp- Proto-Indo-European corrupten Middle English corruptus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# corrupt

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, verb
**IPA (US):** /kəˈɹʌpt/
**Frequency rank:** 6316

## Meanings
1. Willing to act dishonestly in return for money or power.
2. To make someone become dishonest or morally bad.
3. Containing errors so that it no longer works properly.

## Examples
- The government here is corrupt, so many people want to leave.
- He worried that power would corrupt his old friend.
- The download failed and left me with a corrupt file.

## Synonyms
- corrupted

## Derived Forms
- corruptable
- corruptee
- corruptful
- corruptician
- corruptingly
- corruptive
- corruptless
- corruptly
- corruptness
- corruptocracy
- corruptor
- incorrupt

## Related Forms
- corruptible
- corruption
- incorruptible

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *Hrewp-
- Root: corrupten
- Root: corruptus

## Etymology
From Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”).

## AI Etymology
corrupt comes from Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *Hrewp-, Middle English corrupten, Latin corruptus. Current senses include Willing to act dishonestly in return for money or power and to make someone become dishonest or morally bad. English relatives and later formations include corruptable, corruptee, corruptful, corruptible, corruption.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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