atrophy

Meaning

Noun

A reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease, injury or lack of use.

Verb

1. To wither or waste away.
2. To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken.

Synonyms

withering

wasting away

wasting

degeneration

wither

deteriorate

decline

slackening

weakening

wear out

necrosis

paralysis

regression

waste away

wilt

shrivel up

atrophying

atrophia

blunting

consumption

contraction

deterioration

die

💀

diminish

dwarf

exhaust

involution

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈæt.ɹə.fi/

Etymology

Borrowed from French atrophie, from Latin atrophia, from Ancient Greek ἀτροφία (atrophía, “a wasting away”), from ἄτροφος (átrophos, “ill-fed, un-nourished”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + τροφή (trophḗ, “nourishment”), from τρέφω (tréphō, “I fatten”). Equivalent to a- + -trophy.