atrophy

[ a-truh-fee ]

noun

1. Also a·tro·phi·a [] Pathology. a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.
2. degeneration, decline, or decrease, as from disuse:

   He argued that there was a progressive atrophy of freedom and independence of thought.

verb (used with or without object)

, at·ro·phied, at·ro·phy·ing.

1. to affect with or undergo atrophy.

atrophy

/ ˈætrəfɪ; əˈtrɒfɪk /

noun

1. a wasting away of an organ or part, or a failure to grow to normal size as the result of disease, faulty nutrition, etc
2. any degeneration or diminution, esp through lack of use

verb

1. to waste away or cause to waste away

atrophy

/ ăt′rə-fē /

1. A wasting or decrease in the size of an organ or tissue, as from death and reabsorption of cells, diminished proliferation of cells, pressure, lack of oxygen, malnutrition, decreased function, or hormonal changes.

atrophy

1. The wasting away or decrease in size of an organ or tissue in the body. When a body part is affected by paralysis , the muscles may atrophy through lack of use.

Notes

The term is also used in a more general way to refer to a wasting process: “Since he stopped playing, his piano skills have atrophied.”

Derived Forms

• atrophic, adjective

Other Words From

• a·troph·ic [uh, -, trof, -ik, uh, -, troh, -fik], adjective
• nona·trophic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrophy¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier atrophie, from Middle French, from Late Latin atrophia, from Greek, from átroph(os) “not fed, unnourished” (from a- a- ⁶ + troph(ḗ) “nourishment” + -os, adjective suffix; tropho- ) + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrophy¹

C17: from Late Latin atrophia, from Greek, from atrophos ill-fed, from a- ¹+ -trophos from trephein to feed

Example Sentences

Zolgensma—which treats spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic disease that damages nerve cells, leading to muscle decay—is currently the most expensive drug in the world.

From Singularity Hub 

Their bodies begin to atrophy from malnourishment, and daily tasks like getting water or checking traps become much more of a struggle.

From Outside Online

Their weakness and pallor and mental atrophy and irregular heartbeats were in his mind akin to the etiolation of plants deprived of sunlight.

From Time

Those skills often remain undeveloped in modern societies because we can compensate for their atrophy through sophisticated technology.

From Popular-Science

The atrophy in my legs is terrible from taking so much time off, so it will be a tough recovery.

From Ozy

If pilots are not flying, their skills atrophy and that could put their lives in danger.

From The Daily Beast

Still, the atrophy continued, as did the collapse of Vatican-backed dictatorships in Portugal, Spain and Latin America.

From The Daily Beast

He was born with spinal muscular atrophy, which kills 50 percent of the babies diagnosed with it before the age of 2.

From The Daily Beast

Five-month-old Avery Lynn Canahuati died Monday of complications from spinal muscular atrophy.

From The Daily Beast

It hinders the immune system, causes insomnia, and speeds the atrophy of the brain, to name a few.

From The Daily Beast

But a prolonged use of the visual mechanism tends to hypertrophy—or atrophy, as the eyes of deep-sea fishes show.

From Project Gutenberg

And to one of his class, there are many forces ever present to atrophy such simple, wholesome power of loving.

From Project Gutenberg

We may therefore conclude that its atrophy, like its development, takes place from before backwards.

From Project Gutenberg

In stage L it is still fairly large in the tail, though it has begun to atrophy anteriorly.

From Project Gutenberg

It is less developed than before, but is still present up to the period of the atrophy of the head-kidney.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• degeneration