degradation

[ deg-ruh-dey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of degrading. degrade.
2. the state of being degraded. degraded.

   Synonyms: debasement, dishonor, disgrace, humiliation

3. Physical Geography. the wearing down of the land by the erosive action of water, wind, or ice.
4. Chemistry. the breakdown of an organic compound.

degradation

/ ˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of degrading or the state of being degraded
2. a state of degeneration, squalor, or poverty
3. some act, constraint, etc, that is degrading
4. the wearing down of the surface of rocks, cliffs, etc, by erosion, weathering, or some other process
5. chem a breakdown of a molecule into atoms or smaller molecules
6. physics an irreversible process in which the energy available to do work is decreased
7. RC Church the permanent unfrocking of a priest

Other Words From

• degra·dation·al adjective
• degra·dative adjective
• anti·degra·dation adjective
• nondeg·ra·dation noun
• self-degra·dation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of degradation¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Late Latin dēgradātiōn-, stem of dēgradātiō, from dēgradāt(us) “degraded” (past participle of dēgradāre; degrade ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

The degradation state of the residues suggests that, in at least two cases, the trays reached temperatures compatible with those experimentally verified for baking dough in domed ovens.

From Science Daily

The ion channel controls the breakdown of important proteins in endolysosomes -- cell organelles that are involved in transport and degradation processes -- and thus influences signaling pathways that regulate tumor growth.

From Science Daily

Pumping to supply farms and cities has contributed to the ecological degradation of the Delta, where fish populations have suffered declines in recent years.

From Los Angeles Times

Deconvolution aims to reduce blur, a certain type of image degradation introduced by the microscopic system used.

From Science Daily

In a statement from the Kremlin to Russian media, Putin reportedly told Scholz that Russian-German relations had suffered "an unprecedented degradation across the board as a result of the German authorities "unfriendly course”.

From BBC

Related Words

• degeneration
• deterioration