degenerate
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Related to degenerate: Degenerate matter
de·gen·er·ate
(dĭ-jĕn′ər-ĭt)adj.
1. Having declined, as in function or nature, from a former or original state: a degenerate form of an ancient folk art.
2. Morally corrupt or given to vice.
3. Physics Relating to two or more quantum states that share the same quantum numbers: degenerate energy levels.
4. Physics Characterized by great density and consisting of atoms stripped of electrons: degenerate matter.
5. Medicine Characterized by degeneration, as of tissue, a cell, or an organ.
6. Biology Having lost one or more highly developed functions, characteristics, or structures through evolution: a degenerate life form.
7. Genetics Relating to or being a gene that has multiple codons for the same amino acid.
n.
A depraved or corrupt person.
intr.v. (-ə-rāt′) de·gen·er·at·ed, de·gen·er·at·ing, de·gen·er·ates
1. To fall below a normal or desirable state, especially functionally or morally; deteriorate: old water pipes that are degenerating with age; a dispute that degenerated into a brawl.
2. To decline in quality: The quality of his writing degenerated as he continued to drink.
3. To undergo degeneration.
[Latin dēgenerātus, past participle of dēgenerāre, to depart from one's own kind, deteriorate : dē-, de- + genus, gener-, race; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]
de·gen′er·ate·ly adv.
de·gen′er·ate·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
degenerate
vb (intr)
1. to become degenerate
2. (Biology) biology (of organisms or their parts) to become less specialized or functionally useless
adj
3. having declined or deteriorated to a lower mental, moral, or physical level; debased; degraded; corrupt
4. (General Physics) physics
a. (of the constituents of a system) having the same energy but different wave functions
b. (of a semiconductor) containing a similar number of electrons in the conduction band to the number of electrons in the conduction band of metals
c. (of a resonant device) having two or more modes of equal frequency
5. (Communications & Information) (of a code) containing symbols that represent more than one letter, figure, etc
6. (Botany) (of a plant or animal) having undergone degeneration
n
a degenerate person
[C15: from Latin dēgenerāre, from dēgener departing from its kind, ignoble, from de- + genus origin, race]
deˈgenerately adv
deˈgenerateness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
de•gen•er•ate
(v. dɪˈdʒɛn əˌreɪt; adj., n. -ər ɪt)v. -at•ed, -at•ing,
adj., n. v.i.
1. to decline in physical, mental, or moral qualities; deteriorate.
2. to diminish in quality; fall from a high or normal standard: The debate degenerated into a brawl.
3. (of an organ or tissue) to lose structure or function.
4. (of a species or any of its traits or structures) to lose function or structural organization in the course of evolution, as the vestigial wings of a flightless bird.
adj. 5. having declined in physical or moral qualities; deteriorated; degraded.
6. having lost the qualities proper to the race or kind: a degenerate vine.
7. characterized by or associated with degeneracy.
8. Physics.
n. a. (of modes of vibration of a system) having the same frequency.
b. (of quantum states of a system) having equal energy.
9. a person who has declined, esp. in morals, from a type considered standard.
10. a person or thing that reverts to an earlier stage of culture, development, or evolution.
11. a sexual deviate.
[1485–95; < Latin dēgenerātus, past participle of dēgenerāre to decline from an ancestral standard; see generate]
de•gen′er•ate•ly, adv.
de•gen′er•ate•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
degenerate
Past participle: degenerated
Gerund: degenerating
| Imperative |
|---|
| degenerate |
| degenerate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  degenerate - a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behaviorfetishist - one who engages in fetishism (especially of a sexual nature) nympho, nymphomaniac - a woman with abnormal sexual desires child molester, paederast - a man who has sex (usually sodomy) with a boy as the passive partner sodomist - someone who engages in anal copulation (especially a male who engages in anal copulation with another male) |
| Verb | 1. | degenerate - grow worse; "Her condition deteriorated"; "Conditions in the slums degenerated"; "The discussion devolved into a shouting match" fatigue, jade, tire, weary, pall - lose interest or become bored with something or somebody; "I'm so tired of your mother and her complaints about my food" |
| Adj. | 1. | degenerate - unrestrained by convention or morality; "Congreve draws a debauched aristocratic society"; "deplorably dissipated and degraded"; "riotous living"; "fast women" immoral - deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
degenerate
verb
adjective
noun
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
degenerate
adjectiveUtterly reprehensible in nature or behavior:
1. To become lower in quality, character, or condition:
2. To lose strength or power:
Informal: fizzle (out).
Idioms: go downhill, hit the skids.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مُنْحَط، فاسِدمُنْحَل، مُنْحَطيَنْحَطُّ
degenerovanýdegenerovaný člověkrostlinazkaženýzvrhnout se
degenereredegenereretdegenereret personforfalden fabrik
degeneráltelfajul
òróast út í, enda íúrkynjaîur, spilltur
degeneruotiišsigimėlisišsigimęsišsigimtipasileidėlis
deģenerātsdeģenerējiesdeģenerētiesizdzimtenisizvirtis
degenerovanýdegenerovaný človekzvrhnúť sa
izpriditi seizprijenec
degenerate
A. [dɪˈdʒenərɪt] ADJ → degenerado
B. [dɪˈdʒenərɪt] N → degenerado/a m/f
C. [dɪˈdʒenəreɪt] VI → degenerar (into en) the debate degenerated into a shouting match → el debate degeneró en una discusión a voz en grito
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
degenerate
adj → degeneriert; people, morals also → entartet
n → degenerierter Mensch
vi → degenerieren; (people, morals also) → entarten; the demonstration degenerated into violence → die Demonstration artete in Gewalttätigkeiten aus
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
degenerate
[vb dɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪt; adj, n dɪˈdʒɛn/ərɪt]1. vi to degenerate (into) → degenerare (in)
2. adj (person) → degenere; (morals, art) → degenerato/a
3. n → degenerato/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
degenerate
(diˈdʒenərət) adjective having become immoral or inferior. the degenerate son of well-respected parents.
noun a person, plant etc that is degenerate.
(-reit) verb to become much less good or admirable. The discussion degenerated into insults.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
de·gen·er·ate
a. degenerado-a; anómalo-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012