decay

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /diˈkeɪ/ UK /dɪˈkeɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #11907

Meanings

1

verb
To rot or break down gradually through natural processes.

The fallen leaves slowly decayed into the soil.
2

verb
To fall into ruin or decline in condition.

The unoccupied house began to decay over the years.
3

noun
The process of rotting or decomposing.

Eating too much sugar can lead to tooth decay.
4

noun
A decline in quality, strength, or condition.

The neighborhood showed clear signs of urban decay.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to fall into ruin or... crumble

More fester

Word family

Forms decayeddecayingdecays

Derived forms biodecayc-decaydecayabilitydecayabledecayerdecayinglydecaylessdecaylessnessnondecayingphotodecaypredecaysemidecay

Related forms deciduous

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

exponential decay
a decrease by a consistent proportion over equal intervals

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Decay dates from late Middle English and ultimately derives from Latin cadere ‘fall’; its underlying sense is ‘fall away’.

Etymology

From Middle English decaien (“to decrease, diminish”) and decai (“deterioration, decline in value”), from Anglo-Norman decaeir (“to fall away, decay, decline”), from Vulgar Latin *dēcadere, etymologically restored form of Latin dēcidere (“to fall down, to fail, sink or perish”), from de- (“of, from, away, down”) + cadere (“to fall”). Compare decadent and decadence.

*ḱh₂d- Proto-Indo-European decaien Middle English decheoir xno dēcidō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# decay

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /diˈkeɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈkeɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 11907

## Meanings
1. To rot or break down gradually through natural processes.
2. To fall into ruin or decline in condition.
3. The process of rotting or decomposing.
4. A decline in quality, strength, or condition.

## Examples
- The fallen leaves slowly decayed into the soil.
- The unoccupied house began to decay over the years.
- Eating too much sugar can lead to tooth decay.
- The neighborhood showed clear signs of urban decay.

## Synonyms
- fester

## Derived Forms
- biodecay
- c-decay
- decayability
- decayable
- decayer
- decayingly
- decayless
- decaylessness
- nondecaying
- photodecay
- predecay
- semidecay

## Related Forms
- deciduous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱh₂d-
- Root: decaien
- Root: decheoir
- Root: dēcidō

## Etymology
From Middle English decaien (“to decrease, diminish”) and decai (“deterioration, decline in value”), from Anglo-Norman decaeir (“to fall away, decay, decline”), from Vulgar Latin *dēcadere, etymologically restored form of Latin dēcidere (“to fall down, to fail, sink or perish”), from de- (“of, from, away, down”) + cadere (“to fall”). Compare decadent and decadence.

## AI Etymology
decay comes from Middle English decaien (“to decrease, diminish”) and decai (“deterioration, decline in value”), from Anglo-Norman decaeir (“to fall away, decay, decline”), from Vulgar Latin *dēcadere, etymologically restored form of Latin dēcidere (“to fall down, to fail, sink or perish”), from de- (“of, from, away, down”) + cadere (“to fall”). Compare decadent and decadence. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *ḱh₂d-, Middle English decaien, xno decheoir, Latin dēcidō. Current senses include to rot or break down gradually through natural processes and to fall into ruin or decline in condition. English relatives and later formations include biodecay, c-decay, decayability, deciduous.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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