Degenerate


verb (used without object), degenerated, degenerating.
1.
to fall below a normal or desirable level in physical, mental, or moral qualities; deteriorate:
The morale of the soldiers degenerated, and they were unable to fight.
2.
to diminish in quality, especially from a former state of coherence, balance, integrity, etc.:
The debate degenerated into an exchange of insults.
3.
Pathology. to lose functional activity, as a tissue or organ.
4.
Evolution. (of a species or any of its traits or structures) to revert to a simple, less highly organized, or less functionally active type, as a parasitic plant that has lost its taproot or the vestigial wings of a flightless bird.
verb (used with object), degenerated, degenerating.
5.
to cause degeneration in; bring about a decline, deterioration, or reversion in.
adjective
6.
having fallen below a normal or desirable level, especially in physical or moral qualities; deteriorated; degraded:
a degenerate king.
7.
having lost, or become impaired with respect to, the qualities proper to the species or kind:
a degenerate vine.
8.
characterized by or associated with degeneracy:
degenerate times.
9.
Mathematics. pertaining to a limiting case of a mathematical system that is more symmetrical or simpler in form than the general case.
10.
Physics.

(of modes of vibration of a system) having the same frequency.
(of quantum states of a system) having equal energy.

noun
11.
a person who has declined, as in morals or character, from a type or standard considered normal.
12.
a person or thing that reverts to an earlier stage of culture, development, or evolution.
13.
a sexual deviate.
verb (intransitive) (dɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪt)
1.
to become degenerate
2.
(biology) (of organisms or their parts) to become less specialized or functionally useless
adjective (dɪˈdʒɛnərɪt)
3.
having declined or deteriorated to a lower mental, moral, or physical level; debased; degraded; corrupt
4.
(physics)

(of the constituents of a system) having the same energy but different wave functions
(of a semiconductor) containing a similar number of electrons in the conduction band to the number of electrons in the conduction band of metals
(of a resonant device) having two or more modes of equal frequency

5.
(of a code) containing symbols that represent more than one letter, figure, etc
6.
(of a plant or animal) having undergone degeneration
noun (dɪˈdʒɛnərɪt)
7.
a degenerate person

degenerate de·gen·er·ate (dĭ-jěn’ər-ĭt)
adj.

Characterized by degeneration, as of tissue, a cell, or an organ.

Having lost one or more highly developed functions, characteristics, or structures through evolution.

v. de·gen·er·at·ed, de·gen·er·at·ing, de·gen·er·ates (-ə-rāt’)
To undergo the process of degeneration.

Read Also:

  • Degenerative

    degenerative [dih-jen-er-uh-tiv, -uh-rey-tiv] /dɪˈdʒɛn ər ə tɪv, -əˌreɪ tɪv/ Examples Word Origin adjective 1. tending to degenerate. 2. characterized by degeneration. degenerative /dɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪtɪv/ adjective 1. (of a disease or condition) getting steadily worse degenerative de·gen·er·a·tive (dĭ-jěn’ər-ə-tĭv) adj. Of, relating to, causing, or characterized by degeneration.

  • Degraded

    adjective 1. reduced in rank, position, reputation, etc.: He felt degraded by the trivial tasks assigned to him. 2. reduced in quality or value; debased; vulgarized: the degraded level of the modern novel. verb (used with object), degraded, degrading. 1. to lower in dignity or estimation; bring into contempt: He felt they were degrading him […]

  • Degrading

    adjective 1. that degrades; debasing; humiliating: degrading submission. verb (used with object), degraded, degrading. 1. to lower in dignity or estimation; bring into contempt: He felt they were degrading him by making him report to the supervisor. 2. to lower in character or quality; debase. 3. to reduce (someone) to a lower rank, degree, etc.; […]

  • Deify

    verb (used with object), deified, deifying. 1. to make a god of; exalt to the rank of a deity; personify as a deity: to deify a beloved king. 2. to adore or regard as a deity: to deify wealth. verb (transitive) -fies, -fying, -fied 1. to exalt to the position of a god or personify […]

  • Deist

    noun 1. a person who believes in deism.


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