degradation

American  

[deg-ruh-dey-shuhn] / ˌdɛg rəˈdeɪ ʃən /

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.

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degradation British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• antidegradation adjective
• degradational adjective
• degradative adjective
• nondegradation noun
• self-degradation noun

Etymology

Origin of degradation

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

This is often due to dangers animals face in the wild, including poaching for bushmeat, habitat loss and degradation — in some instances caused by mineral hunting for electronics — as well as disease.

From Los Angeles Times

While sand and the steppe have always been part of life in Central Asia, scientists warn climate change and other human activities are accelerating desertification and the degradation of the land.

From Barron's

Space radiation can accelerate the degradation of chips, thermal management is still tricky and rocket launches are still very expensive, according to the Deutsche Bank analysts.

From MarketWatch

The impoverished local Nama community living amid the environmental degradation in the far north-west of South Africa – also known as Namaqualand - wonder what has happened to the riches their land has yielded.

From BBC

The strong fibres do not dissolve in water or evaporate, and are resistant to degradation from chemicals, heat and fire.

From BBC

Related Words

• degeneration
• deterioration