decay
NOUN:
1. decomposition; rot:
Decay made the wood unsuitable for use.
2. a gradual falling into an inferior condition; progressive decline:
the decay of international relations; the decay of the Aztec civilizations.
3. decline in or loss of strength, health, intellect, etc.:
His mental decay is distressing.
4. the process of decline, as in health, mentality, beauty, etc.
5. the state brought about by this process.
6. decomposition, as of vegetable matter.
7. rotten or decayed matter:
the dentist drilled out the decay.
8. the destruction or decomposition of organic matter as a result of bacterial or fungal action; rot.
9. dental caries.
10. the loss of information that was registered by the senses and processed into the short-term memory system.
11. rot:
The material is... resistant to fire, decay and termites... —Jack McClintock.
—specifically, aerobic decomposition of proteins chiefly by bacteria.
12. the product of decay:
tooth decay.
13. gradual decline in strength, soundness, or prosperity or in degree of excellence or perfection:
the decay of the public school system.
14. a decline in health or vigor:
mental decay.
15. a wasting or wearing away; ruin:
a neighborhood that had fallen into decay.
in physics:
1. a radioactive process in which a nucleus undergoes spontaneous transformation into one or more different nuclei and simultaneously emits radiation, loses electrons, or undergoes fission.
Also called disintegration, radioactive decay.
2. a spontaneous transformation of an elementary particle into two or more different particles.
3. of an excited atom or molecule, losing energy by the spontaneous emission of photons.
4. a gradual decrease of a stored charge, magnetic flux, current, etc, when the source of energy has been removed. See also time constant.
5. decrease in quantity, activity, or force, such as:
spontaneous disintegration (as of an atom or a particle).
in chemistry:
decrease in quantity, activity, or force, such as:
spontaneous decrease in the number of radioactive atoms in radioactive material.
in aerospace:
the progressive, accelerating reduction in orbital parameters, particularly apogee and perigee, of a spacecraft due to atmospheric drag.
in music:
the fading away of a note.
obsolete:
1. to cause to decay; impair:
Infirmity, that decays the wise... —William Shakespeare.
2. destruction, death:
...sullen presage of your own decay. —Shakespeare.
Origin:
1425–75; (v.) late Middle English decayen < Old North French decair, equivalent to de- de- + cair to fall < Vulgar Latin *cadēre, for Latin cadere; (noun) late Middle English, derivative of the v. British dictionary: C15: from Old Northern French decaïr, from Late Latin dēcadere, literally: to fall away, from Latin cadere to fall. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of decay: Verb: 15th century. Noun: 15th century. History and Etymology for decay: Verb and Noun: Middle English, from Anglo-French decaïr, from Late Latin decadere to fall, sink, from Latin de- + cadere to fall — more at chance. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Added: 12 July 2020 {5:11 PM} // Updated: 11 October 2020 {5:53 PM}
1. decomposition; rot:
Decay made the wood unsuitable for use.
2. a gradual falling into an inferior condition; progressive decline:
the decay of international relations; the decay of the Aztec civilizations.
3. decline in or loss of strength, health, intellect, etc.:
His mental decay is distressing.
4. the process of decline, as in health, mentality, beauty, etc.
5. the state brought about by this process.
6. decomposition, as of vegetable matter.
7. rotten or decayed matter:
the dentist drilled out the decay.
8. the destruction or decomposition of organic matter as a result of bacterial or fungal action; rot.
9. dental caries.
10. the loss of information that was registered by the senses and processed into the short-term memory system.
11. rot:
The material is... resistant to fire, decay and termites... —Jack McClintock.
—specifically, aerobic decomposition of proteins chiefly by bacteria.
12. the product of decay:
tooth decay.
13. gradual decline in strength, soundness, or prosperity or in degree of excellence or perfection:
the decay of the public school system.
14. a decline in health or vigor:
mental decay.
15. a wasting or wearing away; ruin:
a neighborhood that had fallen into decay.
in physics:
1. a radioactive process in which a nucleus undergoes spontaneous transformation into one or more different nuclei and simultaneously emits radiation, loses electrons, or undergoes fission.
Also called disintegration, radioactive decay.
2. a spontaneous transformation of an elementary particle into two or more different particles.
3. of an excited atom or molecule, losing energy by the spontaneous emission of photons.
4. a gradual decrease of a stored charge, magnetic flux, current, etc, when the source of energy has been removed. See also time constant.
5. decrease in quantity, activity, or force, such as:
spontaneous disintegration (as of an atom or a particle).
in chemistry:
decrease in quantity, activity, or force, such as:
spontaneous decrease in the number of radioactive atoms in radioactive material.
in aerospace:
the progressive, accelerating reduction in orbital parameters, particularly apogee and perigee, of a spacecraft due to atmospheric drag.
in music:
the fading away of a note.
obsolete:
1. to cause to decay; impair:
Infirmity, that decays the wise... —William Shakespeare.
2. destruction, death:
...sullen presage of your own decay. —Shakespeare.
Origin:
1425–75; (v.) late Middle English decayen < Old North French decair, equivalent to de- de- + cair to fall < Vulgar Latin *cadēre, for Latin cadere; (noun) late Middle English, derivative of the v. British dictionary: C15: from Old Northern French decaïr, from Late Latin dēcadere, literally: to fall away, from Latin cadere to fall. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of decay: Verb: 15th century. Noun: 15th century. History and Etymology for decay: Verb and Noun: Middle English, from Anglo-French decaïr, from Late Latin decadere to fall, sink, from Latin de- + cadere to fall — more at chance. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Added: 12 July 2020 {5:11 PM} // Updated: 11 October 2020 {5:53 PM}