Etymology From Middle English roten, from Old Norse rotinn (“decayed, rotten”), past participle of an unrecorded verb related to Old Norse rotna (“to rot”) and Old English rotian (“to rot”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”). See rot. By surface analysis, rot + -en (past participle).
1
Of perishable items, overridden with bacteria and other infectious agents.
If you leave a bin unattended for a few weeks, the rubbish inside will turn rotten.
Antonio: Mark you this, Bassanio, / The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. / An evil soul producing holy witness / Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, / A goodly apple rotten at the heart. / O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
2
In a state of decay.
The floors were damaged and the walls were rotten.
His mouth stank and his teeth were rotten.
1 more example
But poore old man, thou prun'ſt a rotten tree, / That cannot ſo much as a bloſſome yeeldec. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 191:
3
Cruel, mean or immoral.
That man is a rotten father.
This rotten policy will create more injustice in this country.
1 more example
Something is rotten in the State of Denmarke.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], page 257, column 2:
4
Bad or terrible.
Why is the weather always rotten in this city?
It was a rotten idea to take the boat out today.
1 more example
She has the flu and feels rotten.
5
Of stone or rock, crumbling or friable; in a loose or disintegrated state.
The quartz specimens were sometimes blue, hard-looking stone, or rotten quartz largely impregnated with iron, in both cases carrying bright glittering nodules of gold.1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 215:
Etymology From Middle English roten, from Old Norse rotinn (“decayed, rotten”), past participle of an unrecorded verb related to Old Norse rotna (“to rot”) and Old English rotian (“to rot”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”). See rot. By surface analysis, rot + -en (past participle).
1
To an extreme degree.
That kid is spoilt rotten.
The girls fancy him something rotten.
2 more examples
"It's old man Challenger's show and we are here by his good will, so it would be rotten bad form if we didn't follow his instructions to the letter."1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
"You're not only crazy," Oscar said bitterly, "you're rotten jealous. You can go to hell." He stomped away.1958 May, Avram Davidson, “Or All The Seas With Oysters”, in Galaxy Science Fiction, page 53: