de·gen·er·ate
di-ˈjen-rət
-ˈje-nə-,
dē-
1
a
: having declined or become less specialized (as in nature, character, structure, or function) from an ancestral or former state
the last degenerate member of a noble family—W. E. Swinton
b
: having sunk to a condition below that which is normal to a type
… fruit so degenerate that the insects weren't even interested …—Tamar Perla
especially
: having sunk to a lower and usually corrupt and vicious state
a degenerate schemer
a despairing and degenerate world had sunk into servitude beneath him —W. L. Sullivan
c
: degraded sense 2
the functionally degenerate wings of the species
2
mathematics
: being simpler (as by having a factor or constant equal to zero) than the typical case
a degenerate hyperbola
3
physics and astronomy
: characterized by atoms stripped of their electrons and by very great density
degenerate matter
also
: consisting of degenerate matter
a degenerate star
4
physics and chemistry
: having two or more states or subdivisions especially of the same energy or frequency
degenerate energy level
degenerate oscillation
5
degenerately
adverb
degenerateness
noun
de·gen·er·ate
di-ˈje-nə-ˌrāt
dē-
degenerated; degenerating; degenerates
1
: to pass from a higher to a lower type or condition : deteriorate
her fixed mysterious smile degenerated into a fatuous stare—J. C. Powys
2
: to sink into a low intellectual or moral state
The debate degenerated into a shouting match.
At the same time, discotheques degenerated into seedier venues … —shifty, often Mob-run last-martini stops for business commuters …—Peter Braunstein
3
: to decline in quality
the poetry gradually degenerates into jingles
… the sitcom has degenerated into a sparring ring of personal insult—James Wolcott
4
biology
: to decline from a condition or from the standards of a species, race, or breed
5
biology
: to evolve or develop into a less autonomous (see autonomous sense 2a) or less functionally active form
degenerated into dependent parasites
: to cause to degenerate
de·gen·er·ate
di-ˈjen-rət
-ˈje-nə-,
dē-
: one that is degenerate (see degenerate entry 1) : such as
a
: one degraded from the normal moral standard
social degenerates
b
: a sexual pervert
c
anthropology
: one showing signs of reversion (see reversion sense 3a) to an earlier culture stage
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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