Lahoja

Lahoja is a Finnish noun meaning rot or decay of organic matter. It refers to multiple instances of deterioration, such as spoiled fruit, rotted wood, or putrefied meat. The term is used in everyday language as well as in agriculture, food science, and biology to describe spoilage and the state of decomposition.

Lahoja can arise from microbial activity, enzymatic breakdown, or chemical changes. It describes tangible decays in items like food, wood, or textiles, and can also appear in medical or veterinary contexts when describing decaying tissue. While the usage is typically neutral and descriptive, it can be employed metaphorically to discuss social or moral decay in literary or rhetorical contexts.

The noun laho is related to the verb lahota, meaning to rot. An adjective form meaning rotten is lahonnut. Related Finnish terms include pilaantuminen (spoilage) and mätäneminen (putrefaction), which describe broader or related processes of decay.

In everyday life, lahoja is commonly encountered when assessing freshness and safety of perishables, as well as when describing deterioration in natural materials and structures.