The English Oracle

What's the word for paper "decaying"?

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Chapters
00:00 What'S The Word For Paper &Quot;Decaying&Quot;?
00:44 Answer 1 Score 28
00:55 Answer 2 Score 23
01:30 Accepted Answer Score 27
01:53 Answer 4 Score 10
01:58 Thank you

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Tags
#singlewordrequests #wordchoice #phraserequests #verbs

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ANSWER 1

Score 28


Paper rots or mildews if it gets damp, it yellows with age, and perhaps it crumbles.




ACCEPTED ANSWER

Score 27


One word that I feel is particularly associated with age-related deterioration of paper-based products is...

moulder (US molder) - slowly decay or disintegrate, especially because of neglect.
OxfordDctionaries example usage: 'the smell of mouldering books'
Plus several examples from Google Books of "mouldered books"




ANSWER 3

Score 23


I think deteriorate may be an appropriate verb to use:

(intr) to wear away or disintegrate

Maps deterioration

Preserving maps and plans - Preservation and storage -

Deterioration of materials over time is inevitable, but we can control how fast it happens. Some materials are susceptible to deterioration because of their composition and others as a result of storage conditions.

Ngram: use of a few common verbs related to paper deterioration.




ANSWER 4

Score 10


One term for age-related spotting etc is foxing