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    Dendril Roots
      decay
      noun
      (ecology, medicine) The process or result of being gradually decomposed; rot, decomposition.
      A deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.
      a gradual decrease of a stored charge, magnetic flux, current, etc.
      (programming) The situation, in programming languages such as C, where an array loses its type and dimensions and is reduced to a pointer, for example by passing it to a function.
      progressive change in the path of an earth-orbiting satellite due to atmospheric drag.
      (physics) Ellipsis of radioactive decay. [(nuclear physics) Any of several processes by which unstable nuclei emit subatomic particles and/or ionizing radiation and disintegrate into one or more other nuclei.]
      (obsolete) Overthrow, downfall, destruction, ruin.
      verb
      (intransitive) To deteriorate, to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.
      (intransitive, of organic material) To rot, to go bad.
      (intransitive, transitive, physics, chemistry, of an unstable atom) To change by undergoing fission, by emitting radiation, or by capturing or losing one or more electrons; to undergo radioactive decay.
      (intransitive, electronics, of storage media or the data on them) To undergo bit rot, that is, gradual degradation.
      (intransitive, computing, of software) To undergo software rot, that is, to fail to be updated in a changing environment, so as to eventually become legacy or obsolete.
      (programming, intransitive) Of an array: to lose its type and dimensions and be reduced to a pointer, for example when passed to a function.
      (intransitive, physics, of a satellite's orbit) To undergo prolonged reduction in altitude (above the orbited body).
      (intransitive, aviation) Loss of airspeed due to drag.
      (transitive) To cause to rot or deteriorate.
      (intransitive, transitive, physics, of a quantum system) To undergo optical decay, that is, to relax to a less excited state, usually by emitting a photon or phonon.
      Roots
      cadere-cay · Latin · fall
      Synonyms for decay
      decompositionndisintegrationndilapidatevdecomposevdisintegratevputrefactionnrotndilapidationndeclinendecadencenrottennessncrumblevputrefyvputridityndeteriorationnputridnessnputrescencenspoilagendegenerationndegradationndeterioratevranciditynrancidnessn
      Words related to decay
      degeneracyndecadencyndecrepitudensaprogenicadjkyanizevdisrepairncaducitynunrepairputrescentadjcataplasianconservableadjputrefactiveadjputrescibleadjcariousadjrottenadjdegeneratingadjcorrodingn

      Synonyms & related words for decay

      Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of decay — including decomposition, disintegration, dilapidate, decompose, disintegrate, putrefaction. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

      Words related to decay

      Explore words related to decay — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include degeneracy, decadency, decrepitude, saprogenic, kyanize, disrepair, caducity, unrepair. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

      Synonyms for decay

      Common synonyms for decay include decomposition, disintegration, dilapidate, decompose, disintegrate, putrefaction, rot, dilapidation — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

      Where does decay come from?

      The word decay breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root -cay, from Latin cadere (“fall”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.

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