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

"They face a variety of threats, including accidental capture in fishing gear, vessel strikes, ingestion of plastic debris, and degradation of nesting beaches and coastal habitat," said author Charles Muirhead.

From Science Daily

Deutsche Bank analysts have noted that space radiation can accelerate the degradation of chips and in-orbit maintenance can be “impractical,” among other things.

From MarketWatch

"We tested them in some really rough environments for weeks at a time and found no degradation to their buoyancy," says Guo.

From Science Daily

The Nature Nanotechnology perspective, "Nanoparticle-mediated targeting chimeras transform targeted protein degradation," explores how this technology works and where it could be applied.

From Science Daily

The document warns of "cascading risks" from the degradation of some of the planet's most important ecosystems, including conflict, migration and increased competition for resources.

From BBC

Related Words

• degeneration
• deterioration