decadence

C2+ Topic:Culture & History
US /ˈdɛkədəns/ UK /ˈdekədəns/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    moral or cultural decline marked by self-indulgence

    Critics saw decadence in the empire's lavish excess.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · moral or cultural decline... declinedegeneracycorruptiondissipationdecaydebaucheryself-indulgencedegeneration
Word family
Related forms decadentdecaydecline

Etymology

From French décadence, from Medieval Latin decadentia ('a falling away'), from Late Latin decadens, present participle of decadere ('to fall down, decay'), from de- ('down') plus cadere ('to fall').

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