Fauliges

Fauliges is the neuter singular form of the German adjective faulig, used to describe matter that has decayed, spoiled, or become putrid. It is most commonly found before a neutral noun without a determiner, as in fauliges Obst (rotten fruit), fauliges Fleisch (rotten meat) or fauliges Wasser (putrid water). The term emphasizes the presence of decay and an unpleasant odor and is frequently used in contexts such as food safety, cooking, agriculture, and descriptions of spoilage. In technical writing, fauliges Obst or fauliges Fleisch signals spoilage that may render the product unsafe or unpalatable.

The corresponding noun for decay is Fäulnis; faulig describes the state of the material, while Fäulnis refers to the process. Related adjectives include verdorben, verrottet or verfault, which convey varying degrees and types of decay. The concept can also appear metaphorically to describe something morally decayed or corrupt, for example in discussions of a “faulige Moral” or a “fauliges System,” though such uses are more literary or evaluative than scientific.

Etymology traces faulig to the Germanic roots of faul, related to decay, with the adjectival suffix -ig forming an attribute meaning “having the quality of.” The word is part of a broader vocabulary for spoilage and decay, including Fäulnis, Verfall, and Verrottung.

See also: Fäulnis, Verfall, Verrottung, Verdorbenheit, Faulnis.