at·ro·phy
(ăt′rə-fē)n. pl. at·ro·phies 1. A wasting or decrease in size of a body organ, tissue, or part owing to disease, injury, or lack of use: muscular atrophy of a person affected with paralysis.
2. A wasting away, deterioration, or diminution: intellectual atrophy.
v. at·ro·phied, at·ro·phy·ing, at·ro·phies
v.tr. To cause to wither or deteriorate; affect with atrophy.
v.intr. To waste away; wither or deteriorate.
[Late Latin atrophia, from Greek atrophiā, from atrophos, ill-nourished : a-, without; see a-1 + trophē, food.]
a·troph′ic (ā-trŏf′ĭk) adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Adj. | 1. | atrophied - (of an organ or body part) diminished in size or strength as a result of disease or injury or lack of use; "partial paralysis resulted in an atrophied left arm"enlarged, hypertrophied - (of an organ or body part) excessively enlarged as a result of increased size in the constituent cells; "hypertrophied myocardial fibers" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.