Rusty

/ˈrʌsti/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

covered with or affected by rust; corroded.

The old bicycle was left out in the rain and became rusty.

lacking freshness or good condition; deteriorated.

His rusty skills in writing required a lot of practice to improve.

out of practice; not adept due to lack of recent use.

After years of not playing the piano, she felt her playing was quite rusty.

having a dull, reddish-brown color resembling rust.

The rusty color of the leaves indicated they were nearing the end of their life cycle.

Middle English rusti, from rust + -y

rusty skills

skills that are not fresh or practiced and have deteriorated

rusty old thing

referring to an object that is old and not functioning well

rust

the reddish-brown oxidized coating on iron or steel

corrosion

the process of deterioration as a result of chemical interactions

Outdated or no longer effective

That software feels rusty, it's time for an update.

A person who hasn't practiced a skill recently

He's a bit rusty at basketball after not playing all season.