decay

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying

   the corpse was in an advanced state of decay

2. 2
   verb

   fall into decay or ruin

   The unoccupied house started to decay

3. 3
   verb

   undergo decay or decomposition

   The body started to decay and needed to be cremated

4. 4
   noun

   Rot; any processes or result of organic matter being gradually decomposed, especially by microbial action.

   tooth decay/dental decay—wood-decay fungi—bacterial decay—photochemical decay

5. 5
   noun

   Deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.

   civic and moral decay—systemic decay—fall into decay—urban decay—arrested decay—memory decay

6. 6
   noun

   Radioactive decay; decomposition of an atom or its nucleus.

   alpha decay—gamma decay—fission decay—decay chain

7. 7
   noun

   Continuous decrease of a quantity.

   exponential decay—decay rate—orbital decay—decay time—decay constant—time decay

8. 8
   noun

   Overthrow, destruction, ruin, death.

   Let’s cheere our ſouldiers to incounter him, That grieuous image of ingratitude: That fiery thirſter after Soueraigntie: […] Reſolue my Lords and louing ſouldiers now, To ſaue your king and country from decay:

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.