degradation C1 Topic:Describing Qualities US /ˌdɛgrəˈdeɪʃən/ UK /ˌdɛɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/ See IPA manual Freq #23813 Meanings 1 noun A drop to a lower, worse state, especially in quality or condition. Pollution has caused serious environmental degradation in the region. 2 noun The state of being treated without respect, or of losing one's dignity and self-respect. She wrote about the degradation suffered by the poorest workers. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a drop to a lower, worse... deterioration 2 noun · the state of being treated... abasementdebasement Word family Forms degradations Derived forms antidegradationautodegradationdegradationalhydrodegradationimmunodegradationneurodegradationnondegradationoverdegradationphoto-degradationphotodegradationphytodegradationpredegradation Related forms decomposition Etymology AI details From French dégradation. Morphologically degrade + -ation. Topics Describing Qualities Ethics & Social Judgment Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # degradation **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˌdɛgrəˈdeɪʃən/ **IPA (UK):** /ˌdɛɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/ **Frequency rank:** 23813 ## Meanings 1. A drop to a lower, worse state, especially in quality or condition. 2. The state of being treated without respect, or of losing one's dignity and self-respect. ## Examples - Pollution has caused serious environmental degradation in the region. - She wrote about the degradation suffered by the poorest workers. ## Derived Forms - antidegradation - autodegradation - degradational - hydrodegradation - immunodegradation - neurodegradation - nondegradation - overdegradation - photo-degradation - photodegradation - phytodegradation - predegradation ## Related Forms - decomposition ## Etymology From French dégradation. Morphologically degrade + -ation. ## AI Etymology Degradation is from French dégradation. Morphologically degrade + -ation. In present-day use, it can mean a drop to a lower, worse state, especially in quality or condition, or the state of being treated without respect, or of losing one's dignity and self-respect. Derived formations include antidegradation, autodegradation, degradational, hydrodegradation, and immunodegradation. ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Ethics & Social Judgment - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown