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decay

Pronunciation: /dɪˈkeɪ/

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Definition of decay

verb

[no object]
  • (of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi:the body had begun to decay (as adjective decayed)decayed animal and plant matter (as adjective decaying)the odour of decaying fish
  • [with object] cause to rot or decompose:the fungus will decay soft timber
  • fall into disrepair; deteriorate:facilities decay when money is not spent on refurbishment
  • decline in quality, power, or vigour:the moral authority of the party was decaying
  • Physics (of a radioactive substance, particle, etc.) undergo change to a different form by emitting radiation: the trapped radiocarbon begins to decay at a known rate the W-particle then decays into an electron and a neutrino
  • technical (of a physical quantity) undergo a gradual decrease: the time taken for the current to decay to zero

noun

[mass noun]
  • the state or process of rotting or decomposition:hardwood is more resistant to decay than softwood tooth decay
  • rotten matter or tissue:fluoride heals small spots of decay
  • structural or physical deterioration:the old barn rapidly fell into decay
  • the process of declining in quality, power, or vigour:the problems of urban decay
  • Physics the change of a radioactive substance, particle, etc. into another by the emission of radiation: the gas radon is produced by the decay of uranium in rocks and soil [count noun]:he developed a detector for decays of carbon-14
  • technical gradual decrease in the magnitude of a physical quantity: the required time constant for current decay is 1 ms

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French decair, based on Latin decidere 'fall down or off', from de- 'from' + cadere 'fall'

decay in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of decay in the US English dictionary

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