1 B2 neutral
Of a part of something: to separate and fall away because it has decayed.
"Several fence posts had rotted off at the base and needed to be replaced."
inseparable
rot off
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To become detached from something as a result of rotting or decay.
In plain English
To fall off because it has gone rotten and can no longer hold together.
What does "rot off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
Of a limb or appendage: to fall away from a body or plant due to disease or decay.
"If left untreated, the infection could cause the tissue to rot off."
inseparable
Usage tip
Used of parts that were once attached to a larger whole — branches, limbs, sections of a structure. Emphasises that decay is the direct mechanism of the separation.
Words that pair with "rot off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
branch limb handle post beam planks
How to conjugate "rot off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rot off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rots off
he/she/it
Past simple
roted off
yesterday
Past participle
roted off
have + pp
-ing form
roting off
continuous
Hear "rot off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "rot off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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