What does degeneration mean?

Definitions for degeneration
dɪˌdʒɛn əˈreɪ ʃənde·gen·er·a·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word degeneration.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. degeneration, devolutionnoun

    the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality

  2. degeneracy, degeneration, decadence, decadencynoun

    the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities

  3. degeneration, retrogressionnoun

    passing from a more complex to a simpler biological form

Wiktionary

  1. degenerationnoun

    The act or state of growing worse, or the state of having become worse; decline; degradation; debasement; degeneracy; deterioration.

  2. degenerationnoun

    That condition of a tissue or an organ in which its vitality has become either diminished or perverted; a substitution of a lower for a higher form of structure.

    fatty degeneration of the liver

  3. degenerationnoun

    A gradual deterioration, from natural causes, of any class of animals or plants or any particular organ or organs; hereditary degradation of type.

  4. degenerationnoun

    The thing degenerated.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Degenerationnoun

    Etymology: from degenerate.

    In plants, wherein there is no distinction of sexes, these transplantations are yet more obvious than they; as that of barley into oats, of wheat into darnell; and those grains which generally arise among corn, as cockle, aracus, œgilops, and other degenerations. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. iii. c. 17.

ChatGPT

  1. degeneration

    Degeneration is a process or condition characterized by the deterioration, decline, or loss of properties, functions, or conditions in an organism, structure, or system, often resulting from aging, disease, or overuse. This can occur in various contexts such as biology, where it refers to the progressive decline in the physiological functioning of an organ or tissue, or in technology, where it can refer to the gradual wear and tear of a device or system.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Degenerationnoun

    the act or state of growing worse, or the state of having become worse; decline; degradation; debasement; degeneracy; deterioration

  2. Degenerationnoun

    that condition of a tissue or an organ in which its vitality has become either diminished or perverted; a substitution of a lower for a higher form of structure; as, fatty degeneration of the liver

  3. Degenerationnoun

    a gradual deterioration, from natural causes, of any class of animals or plants or any particular organ or organs; hereditary degradation of type

  4. Degenerationnoun

    the thing degenerated

  5. Etymology: [Cf. F. dgnration.]

Wikidata

  1. Degeneration

    The idea of degeneration goes back to the 18th century, and had significant influence on science, art and politics from the 1850s to the 1950s. The social theory developed consequently from Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Evolution meant that mankind's development was no longer fixed and certain, but could change and evolve or degenerate into an unknown future, possibly a bleak future that clashes with the analogy between evolution and civilization as a progressive positive direction. As a consequence, theorists assumed the human species might be overtaken by a more adaptable species or circumstances might change and suit a more adapted species. Degeneration theory presented a pessimistic outlook for the future of western civilization as it believed the progress of the 19th century had begun to work against itself.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of degeneration in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of degeneration in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of degeneration in a Sentence

  1. Kapil Bharti:

    Data from 10 to 12 patients is needed to show that the implanted cells are indeed safe, while researchers have used embryonic stem cell derived cells to treat age-related macular degeneration, (the RIKEN study) is the first study that used induced pluripotent stem cells.

  2. Vaclav Havel:

    Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable of living in this way. Therefore not only does the system alienate humanity, but at the same time alienated humanity supports this system as its own involuntary masterplan, as a degenerate image of its own degeneration, as a record of people's own failure as individuals.

  3. Marc Werner:

    There are many eye diseases that can cause loss of vision (glaucoma, macular degeneration), or loss of life (ocular melanoma), which may have no signs or symptoms but can be detected during a thorough eye exam.

  4. Chad Hales:

    Alzheimer's disease causes degeneration of brain cells, and this leads to the outward symptoms you see on a day-to-day basis, this includes problems early on with short-term memory and later problems with speaking and executive dysfunction, like managing cell phones, medications, and finances. Patients can also have depression or other neuropsychiatric symptoms, like delusions or hallucinations.

  5. Georges Clémenceau:

    America is the only nation in history which, miraculously, has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

degeneration#10000#23078#100000

Translations for degeneration

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • انحطاطArabic
  • израждане, дегенерацияBulgarian
  • Degeneration, EntartungGerman
  • εκφύλισηGreek
  • degeneraatio, rappeutuminen, rappeuma, taantuminenFinnish
  • dégénération, dégénérescenceFrench
  • meathlúIrish
  • החמרה, התנוונות, דגנרציהHebrew
  • degeneráltság, elfajulás, elkorcsosulás, hanyatlásHungarian
  • degenerazioneItalian
  • 退化Japanese
  • degenerare, degenerări, degradareRomanian
  • упадок, вырождение, дегенерацияRussian

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"degeneration." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/degeneration>.

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    a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease
    A aculeate
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