debauch

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪˈbɔtʃ/ UK /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to corrupt morally or lead into excess; a bout of indulgence

He feared the city would debauch his innocent nephew.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to corrupt morally or lead... corrupt deprave seduce pervert defile dissipate carouse orgy

Opposites

purify reform elevate ennoble

Word family

Derived forms debauchee debauchery debauchmentdebaucher

Etymology

From Middle French débaucher ('to entice away from work or duty'), of uncertain earlier origin; perhaps from Old French desbaucher, from des- ('away') plus bauch ('beam, workshop'), the notion being 'to lure away from one's workbench'.

desbaucher Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# debauch

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈbɔtʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/

## Meanings
1. to corrupt morally or lead into excess; a bout of indulgence

## Examples
- He feared the city would debauch his innocent nephew.

## Synonyms
- corrupt
- deprave
- seduce
- pervert
- defile
- dissipate
- carouse
- orgy

## Antonyms
- purify
- reform
- elevate
- ennoble

## Derived Forms
- debauchee
- debauchery
- debauchment
- debaucher

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: desbaucher

## Etymology
From Middle French débaucher ('to entice away from work or duty'), of uncertain earlier origin; perhaps from Old French desbaucher, from des- ('away') plus bauch ('beam, workshop'), the notion being 'to lure away from one's workbench'.

## AI Etymology
Debauch is from Middle French débaucher ('to entice away from work or duty'), of uncertain earlier origin; perhaps from Old French desbaucher, from des- ('away') plus bauch ('beam, workshop'), the notion being 'to lure away from one's workbench'. Important recorded forms include desbaucher (Old French). Its deeper history remains uncertain, with proposed links left as possibilities rather than a single settled derivation. The current sense covers to corrupt morally or lead into excess; a bout of indulgence. The wider family includes derived forms such as debauchee, debauchery, debauchment, and debaucher.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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