biodeteriorationn.
/ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)dᵻˌtɪərɪəˈreɪʃn/, U.S. /ˌbaɪoʊdəˌtɪriəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/, /ˌbaɪoʊdiˌtɪriəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ Deterioration of a substance or object caused by the action of living organisms. Cf. biodegradation n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [noun] > decomposition, melting, or crumbling away
dissolutiona1398
resolution1533
mouldering1562
dissipation1597
deordination1686
decomposition1777
disintegration1794
chemolysis1872
biolysis1897
biodegradation1941
breakdown1959
biodeterioration1960
1960 AIBS Bull. 10 37/1 Developments in Industrial Microbiology can be used profitably by..the practicing microbiologist in industry, regardless of whether his specialty is in enzymology, biodeterioration.., or just plain academic exploring.
1964 Nature 5 Sept. 1084/1 These thermophilic fungi may play a significant part in the biodeterioration of oil palm produce during processing and storage.
1996 New Scientist 2 Nov. 36/1 Researchers who study this ‘biodeterioration’ are starting to understand how these microorganisms inflict their damage.
Derivatives
biodeˈteriorative adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [adjective] > decomposed > relating to decomposition
catogenic1878
biodeteriorative1966
1966 D. G. Coursey in Microbiol. Deterioration in Tropics (Soc. Chem. Industry Monogr. No. 23) 55 Purely chemical changes..are slow compared with the biodeteriorative process.
2006 Sci. Total Environment 364 273/1 Until recently, biodeteriorative colonisers of the stone materials were considered to be autotrophic microorganisms.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1960