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decay

de·cay
D d

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [dih-key]
    • /dɪˈkeɪ/
    • /dɪˈkeɪ/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [dih-key]
    • /dɪˈkeɪ/

Definitions of decay word

  • verb decay When something such as a dead body, a dead plant, or a tooth decays, it is gradually destroyed by a natural process. 3
  • verb decay Decay is also a noun. 3
  • verb decay If something such as a society, system, or institution decays, it gradually becomes weaker or its condition gets worse. 3
  • verb decay to decline or cause to decline gradually in health, prosperity, excellence, etc; deteriorate; waste away 3
  • verb decay to rot or cause to rot as a result of bacterial, fungal, or chemical action; decompose 3
  • verb decay (of an atomic nucleus) to undergo radioactive disintegration 3

Information block about the term

Origin of decay

First appearance:

before 1425
One of the 25% oldest English words
1425-75; (v.) late Middle English decayen < Old North French decair, equivalent to de- de- + cair to fall < Vulgar Latin *cadēre, for Latin cadere; (noun) late Middle English, derivative of the v.

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Decay

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

decay popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

decay usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for decay

noun decay

  • disrepair — the condition of needing repair; an impaired or neglected state.
  • corrosion — Corrosion is the damage that is caused when something is corroded.
  • disintegration — the act or process of disintegrating.
  • impairment — the state of being diminished, weakened, or damaged, especially mentally or physically: cognitive impairment in older adults.
  • decomposition — Decomposition is the process of decay that takes place when a living thing changes chemically after dying.

verb decay

  • shrivel — shrink, dry up
  • fade — to lose brightness or vividness of color.
  • pollute — to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty: to pollute the air with smoke.
  • wane — to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.: Daylight waned, and night came on. Her enthusiasm for the cause is waning.
  • dwindle — to become smaller and smaller; shrink; waste away: His vast fortune has dwindled away.

Antonyms for decay

noun decay

  • improvement — an act of improving or the state of being improved.
  • building — A building is a structure that has a roof and walls, for example a house or a factory.
  • increase — to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to: to increase taxes.
  • morality — conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct.
  • flourish — to be in a vigorous state; thrive: a period in which art flourished.

verb decay

  • grow — to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
  • improve — to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition: He took vitamins to improve his health.
  • combine — If you combine two or more things or if they combine, they exist together.
  • unite — to join, combine, or incorporate so as to form a single whole or unit.
  • put together — assemble

Top questions with decay

  • what is radioactive decay?
  • what does decay mean?
  • what happens to a radioisotope when it undergoes nuclear decay?
  • what causes tooth decay?
  • how to reverse tooth decay?
  • why does radioactive decay occur?
  • how long does it take for a body to decay?
  • how to stop tooth decay?
  • what is tooth decay?
  • what is alpha decay?
  • what is beta decay?
  • what type of reaction is the decay of carbon 14?
  • what is distance decay?
  • why do atomic nuclei decay?
  • what happens during radioactive decay?

See also

Matching words

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