atrophy

 
Pronunciation: /ˈatrəfi/

verb (atrophies, atrophying, atrophied)

[no object]
  • 1(of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution: the calf muscles will atrophy (as adjective atrophied) in some beetles, the hindwings are atrophied
  • 2gradually decline in effectiveness or vigour due to underuse or neglect: the imagination can atrophy from lack of use

noun

[mass noun]
  • the process of atrophying or state of having atrophied: gastric atrophy extensive TV viewing may lead to atrophy of children’s imaginations

Derivatives

atrophic

adjective

Origin:

late 16th century: from French atrophier (verb), atrophie (noun), from late Latin atrophia, from Greek, 'lack of food', from a- 'without' + trophē 'food'