Pitted

Pitted is the past participle of pit and functions as an adjective and verb form in English. In everyday language, it describes either fruit and seeds that contain a stone or pit, or food and objects whose pits have been removed; for example pitted cherries or pitted olives. It can also describe a surface that has small cavities or indentations, produced by wear, impact, or corrosion.

In materials science and engineering, pitting refers to pitting corrosion, a localized form of deterioration that creates tiny pits through the protective film on a metal. Pitting corrosion is particularly associated with stainless steels and aluminum alloys in chloride-containing environments, and it can progress covertly, weakening structural integrity even when overall metal loss is small. Pitting can also describe intentionally created indentations in a surface, such as stamping or engraving.

In medical contexts, pitting is used in phrases such as pitting edema, a condition where pressing the skin leaves a lasting indentation, indicating fluid accumulation. Pits or pitted scars can also describe certain skin scars resulting from acne or chickenpox, which leave small, crater-like depressions.

Etymology and usage: the term derives from the noun pit, with the -ed suffix forming an adjective/participial form. The word appears in culinary, industrial, and medical contexts, often signaling the presence of a pit, an indent, or a recessed cavity.