degeneracy

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de·gen·er·a·cy

(dĭ-jĕn′ər-ə-sē)

n. pl. de·gen·er·a·cies

a. The process of degenerating.

b. The state of being degenerate.

2. Genetics The presence in the genetic code of multiple codons for the same amino acid. Also called redundancy.

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.

degeneracy

(dɪˈdʒɛnərəsɪ)

n, pl -cies

1. the act or state of being degenerate

2. the process of becoming degenerate

3. (General Physics) physics the number of degenerate quantum states of a particular orbital, degree of freedom, energy level, etc

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

de•gen•er•a•cy

(dɪˈdʒɛn ər ə si)

n.

1. degenerate state or character.

2. the process of degenerating; decline.

3. degenerate behavior, esp. behavior considered sexually deviant.

[1655–65]

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Noun	1.	degeneracy - the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities decadence, decadency, degeneration abasement, abjection, degradation - a low or downcast state; "each confession brought her into an attitude of abasement"- H.L.Menchken
	2.	degeneracy - moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles; "the luxury and corruption among the upper classes"; "moral degeneracy followed intellectual degeneration"; "its brothels, its opium parlors, its depravity"; "Rome had fallen into moral putrefaction" depravation, depravity, putrefaction, corruption immorality - the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense of the West on the threat of mutual assured destruction"

degeneracy

noun worsening, decline, corruption, decrease, decay, deterioration, degradation, decadence, depravity, immorality, debasement, turpitude, depravation, dissoluteness the moral degeneracy of society

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

degeneracy

noun

Descent to a lower level or condition:

atrophy, decadence, declension, declination, decline, degeneration, deterioration.

Translations

Abart Dekadenz

abâtardissement dégénérescence

degeneracy

[dɪˈdʒenərəsɪ] N → degeneración f, depravación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

degeneracy

n → Degeneration f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

degeneracy

[dɪˈdʒɛn/ərəsɪ] n → degenerazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in classic literature ?

It is scarce possible to imagine that our natures should be capable of so much degeneracy, as to make that pleasant and agreeable that in itself is the most complete misery.

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"These STRULDBRUGS and I would mutually communicate our observations and memorials, through the course of time; remark the several gradations by which corruption steals into the world, and oppose it in every step, by giving perpetual warning and instruction to mankind; which, added to the strong influence of our own example, would probably prevent that continual degeneracy of human nature so justly complained of in all ages.

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The means relied on in this form of government for preventing their degeneracy are numerous and various.

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Wilcox to write letters to the papers complaining of our national degeneracy, or else they entrap a boy into marriage before it is too late.

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I was so astonished with the sight of these things, that I entertained no notions of any danger to myself from it for a long while: all my apprehensions were buried in the thoughts of such a pitch of inhuman, hellish brutality, and the horror of the degeneracy of human nature, which, though I had heard of it often, yet I never had so near a view of before; in short, I turned away my face from the horrid spectacle; my stomach grew sick, and I was just at the point of fainting, when nature discharged the disorder from my stomach; and having vomited with uncommon violence, I was a little relieved, but could not bear to stay in the place a moment; so I got up the hill again with all the speed I could, and walked on towards my own habitation.

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Morison, was making his task an extremely difficult one--it was that quality of innate goodness and cleanness which is a good girl's stoutest bulwark and protection--an impregnable barrier that only degeneracy has the effrontery to assail.

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M'ganwazam, she now saw, was an evil-appearing savage with every mark of brutal degeneracy writ large upon his bestial countenance.

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In consideration of this eminent public service, the Barnacle then in power had recommended the Crown to bestow a pension of two or three hundred a-year on his widow; to which the next Barnacle in power had added certain shady and sedate apartments in the Palaces at Hampton Court, where the old lady still lived, deploring the degeneracy of the times in company with several other old ladies of both sexes.

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You are a mere infant, but you'll go next, Jo, and we'll be left lamenting," said Laurie, shaking his head over the degeneracy of the times.

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Figure to yourself, my Julia, the rushing waters, lessening from their expanded width to the degeneracy of the stagnant pool--rocks rise on rocks in overhanging mountains, until the weary eye, refusing its natural office, yields to the fancy what its feeble powers can never conquer.

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Ruins and basilicas, palaces and colossi, set in the midst of a sordid present, where all that was living and warm-blooded seemed sunk in the deep degeneracy of a superstition divorced from reverence; the dimmer but yet eager Titanic life gazing and struggling on walls and ceilings; the long vistas of white forms whose marble eyes seemed to hold the monotonous light of an alien world: all this vast wreck of ambitious ideals, sensuous and spiritual, mixed confusedly with the signs of breathing forgetfulness and degradation, at first jarred her as with an electric shock, and then urged themselves on her with that ache belonging to a glut of confused ideas which check the flow of emotion.

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These, in turn, were crowded out by Japanese women, doll-like, stepping mincingly on wooden clogs; by Eurasians, delicate featured, stamped with degeneracy; by full-bodied South-Sea-Island women, flower-crowned and brown-skinned.