decay

CEFRB2

/dɪˈkeɪ/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To slowly become damaged, weaker, or rotten.

  2. 02

    noun

    The process of becoming damaged or rotten.

Examples

  • Many local traditions have fallen into decay in recent years.

  • There is nothing that does not decay.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
1

Also pronounced

  • /diˈkeɪ/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. Deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.

  2. Radioactive decay; decomposition of an atom or its nucleus.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. Rot; any processes or result of organic matter being gradually decomposed, especially by microbial action.

More examples

In context

  • civic and moral decay—systemic decay—fall into decay—urban decay—arrested decay—memory decay

  • alpha decay—gamma decay—fission decay—decay chain

  • tooth decay/dental decay—wood-decay fungi—bacterial decay—photochemical decay

Synonyms

Quick test

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Old fruit left outside will quickly blank in the sun.

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Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English decaien (“to decrease, diminish”) and decai (“deterioration, decline in value”), from Anglo-Norman decaeir (“to fall away, decay, decline”), from Vulgar Latin *dēcadere, etymologically restored form of Latin dēcidere (“to fall down, to fail, sink or perish”), from de- (“of, from, away, down”) + cadere (“to fall”). Compare decadent and decadence.