corrupted
UK[kəˈrʌptɪd]US[kəˈrʌptɪd]
adj
Having been made dishonest or morally depraved.
adj
(of data or a computer file) Made unusable or damaged by errors or alterations.
adj
Having undergone decay or decomposition; tainted.
Morpheme Breakdown
cor
rupt
ed
cor
intensive
rupt
break
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'corrupted' traces its lineage to the Latin verb corrumpere, which is a composite of the intensive prefix 'com-' (here assimilated to 'cor-') and the verb rumpere, meaning "to break." The literal sense was "to break thoroughly, to destroy, to spoil." This concept of breaking down integrity passed through Old French corrompre into Middle English. Over time, the meaning evolved from physical destruction to the more abstract moral and ethical decay, and later, in the digital age, was applied to data that has been broken or altered from its original, correct state. The '-ed' suffix marks its adjectival form, describing something that has undergone this process of being broken down or spoiled.
Analysis
Structure: cor (intensive) + rupt (break) + ed (adjective suffix)
- cor: A Latin prefix (an assimilated form of 'com-'), meaning "together, with, thoroughly," serving as an intensive prefix.
- rupt: From Latin rumpere, meaning "to break, burst."
- ed: An English suffix forming adjectives from verbs or nouns, indicating a state or condition.
Examples
The corrupted official was arrested for accepting bribes.
I cannot open the file because it appears to be corrupted.
The meat had a corrupted smell, so we threw it away.