dry-rot

1 of 2

verb

dry-rotted; dry-rotting; dry-rots

transitive verb

: to affect with dry rot

intransitive verb

: to become affected with dry rot

dry rot

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a decay of seasoned timber caused by fungi that consume the cellulose of wood leaving a soft skeleton which is readily reduced to powder
b
: a fungal rot of plant tissue in which the affected areas are dry and often firmer than normal or more or less mummified
2
: a fungus causing dry rot
3
: decay from within caused especially by resistance to new forces

Examples of dry-rot in a Sentence

Noun The windowsill was badly damaged by dry rot. Dry rot had eaten away part of the beam.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
How insurance does — and doesn’t — cover mold Today, standard homeowners policies typically do not cover mold, fungus, wet or dry rot, unless that damage is the result of a covered peril, according to Insurance.com. Genna Contino, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2024 The original kitchen cabinets had been painted a dismal harvest gold color, and dry rot had settled in behind the tile that had been inexplicably installed over the original mahogany paneling in the bathrooms. Mark David, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 The wood had badly deteriorated: There was dry rot, termites and water damage. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Decades of wind and rain rolling in from the North Atlantic Ocean had left the 1920s house suffering from damp and both wet and dry rot. Ruth Bloomfield, wsj.com, 9 May 2023 See all Example Sentences for dry-rot 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1870, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry-rot was in 1795

Dictionary Entries Near dry-rot

Cite this Entry

“Dry-rot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry-rot. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dry rot

noun
: decay of dried timber in which the cellulose of wood is used for food by fungi leaving a soft skeleton that easily crumbles to powder
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