degenerative
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of degenerative
First recorded in 1840–50; degenerate + -ive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in people who experience repetitive head trauma and can be diagnosed only after death.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects millions of people each year and can occur in many different joints throughout the body.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
The drama follows the story of two people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease - a non-curable degenerative condition that affects how the brain communicates with the muscles in the body.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
In setting out Jonathan’s defense, one of the filing’s most striking assertions is that Isak suffered from bilateral gonarthrosis in both knees, a degenerative joint condition that causes cartilage wear, pain, stiffness and reduced mobility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
It produces degenerative changes in the liver and kidneys.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
