English
root rot
From root + rot.
Proto-Indo-European *wréh₂ds ‘root’
Proto-Germanic *wrōts ‘root’
Old Norse rót ‘root’
Old English rōt ‘root’
Middle English rote ‘underground part of a plant’
English root
Proto-Indo-European *Hrewd- ‘to tear’
Proto-Germanic *rutāną ‘to rot’
Proto-West Germanic *rotēn ‘to rot’
Old English rotian ‘to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy’
Middle English roten ‘to become toxic or noxious’
English rot
Today it means
noun Any of several plant fungal diseases caused by having overwet roots.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / root rot