Definition of degenerative
: of, relating to, involving, or causing degeneration
- a degenerative disease
Updated on: 12 Jul 2018
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Recent Examples of degenerative from the Web
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Boston University researchers found chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease known as CTE, in Ploetz's brain.
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Before this technology existed, the only alternative to the degenerative disease was open-heart surgery, which patients like Centeno Santos likely couldn't withstand.
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Baseball was forced to develop a concussion protocol nearly a decade ago, amid research that conclusively linked concussions to degenerative brain diseases.
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Following Hawking's death in March, the renowned British physicist, who had battled a debilitating degenerative motor neuron disease for decades, was remembered at a memorial service Friday at Westminster Abbey.
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Samumed, which employs a little more than 150 people in San Diego, is conducting human clinical trials of drugs to treat cancer, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and several other diseases.
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That information could one day help people be more proactive about avoiding cognitive decline, and may even help to stave off some of the brain problems associated with more severe degenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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Shortly after his retirement in 1997, Kelly's son Hunter was born with Krabbe disease, a degenerative nervous system disorder.
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He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder that attacks the central nervous system, impairing motor functions and cognition, eventually leading to death.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'degenerative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Degenerative diseases—including cancer, glaucoma, Parkinson's, diabetes, arthritis, and leprosy—are usually contrasted with infectious diseases (diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa). However, many infectious diseases (Lyme disease, AIDS, etc.) can cause a body or body part to degenerate, and infective organisms play a part in some degenerative diseases. Some degenerative diseases can be controlled; some can even be cured. But no one has yet discovered a way to reverse such degenerative conditions as multiple sclerosis, emphysema, or Alzheimer's.
First Known Use of degenerative
circa 1846
Other Biology Terms
DEGENERATIVE Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of degenerative for English Language Learners
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medical : causing the body or part of the body to become weaker or less able to function as time passes
Medical Dictionary
medical Definition of degenerative
: of, relating to, involving, or tending to cause degeneration
- degenerative conditions of the nervous system
- —Morris Fishbein
- degenerative changes
- a degenerative muscle disorder
Learn More about degenerative
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See words that rhyme with degenerative Spanish Central: Translation of degenerative Nglish: Translation of degenerative for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of degenerative for Arabic speakers
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