decay vs rot

decay and rot both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
decay	Yes	No	Yes	No
rot	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, rot is a hyponym of decay; that is, rot is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than decay:

As nouns, rot is a hyponym of decay; that is, rot is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than decay:

As verbs, rot is a hyponym of decay; that is, rot is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than decay:

Other hyponyms of decay include decompose, molder, moulder, go bad, spoil, putrefy, deliquesce.

decay (noun)	rot (noun)
the organic phenomenon of rotting	unacceptable behavior (especially ludicrously false statements)
a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current	(biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action
the process of gradually becoming inferior	a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odor
the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation
an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying

decay (verb)	rot (verb)
fall into decay or ruin	become physically weaker
lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current	break down
undergo decay or decomposition