decay

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The process or result of being gradually decomposed; rot, decomposition.
2. (countable, uncountable) A deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.
3. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable) A deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.
4. (countable, uncountable) A deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.
5. (countable, uncountable) A deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.
6. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Overthrow, downfall, destruction, ruin.
7. (countable, uncountable) The situation, in programming languages such as C, where an array loses its type and dimensions and is reduced to a pointer, for example by passing it to a function.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To deteriorate, to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.
2. (intransitive) To deteriorate, to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.
3. (intransitive) To deteriorate, to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.
4. (intransitive) To deteriorate, to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.
5. (intransitive) To rot, to go bad.
6. (intransitive, transitive) To change by undergoing fission, by emitting radiation, or by capturing or losing one or more electrons; to undergo radioactive decay.
7. (intransitive, transitive) To undergo optical decay, that is, to relax to a less excited state, usually by emitting a photon or phonon.
8. (intransitive) Loss of airspeed due to drag.
9. (transitive) To cause to rot or deteriorate.
10. (intransitive) Of an array: to lose its type and dimensions and be reduced to a pointer, for example when passed to a function.

Synonyms

rot

decline

putrefy

decompose

decomposition

spoil

ruin

wither

destruction

deterioration

disintegration

wane

dilapidation

rottenness

waste away

putrefaction

corruption

degeneration

waste

go bad

deteriorate

decrease

decadence

crumble

perish

loss

collapse

radioactive decay

fall

breakdown

disintegrate

molder

corrode

moulder

decrepitude

putridity

downfall

ruination

diminution

putrescence

corrupt

infirmity

fall apart

spoilage

failure

fail

rotting

attenuation

breakup

dilapidate

Translations

Verfall

pourrir

verfallen

verfaulen

verwesen

verderben

verrotten

décomposition

Niedergang

descomposición

decomposizione

carie

faulen

Fäulnis

σαπίζω

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈkeɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: decayen

In summary

From Middle English decayen, dekeyen (“to decrease, diminish”), from Anglo-Norman decaeir (“to fall away, decay, decline”), from Vulgar Latin *dēcadere, etymologically restored form of Latin dēcidere (“to fall away, fail, sink, perish”), from de (“down”) + cadere (“to fall”). Compare decadent and decadence.