cor·rup·tion: noun (14th century)
1a: impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle: depravity
b: decay, decomposition
c: inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (as bribery)
d: a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct
2 archaic: an agency or influence that corrupts
3 chiefly dialect: pus
Merriam Webster Online Dictionary