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Meaning of Decay | Babel Free

Noun CEFR C2 Standard
dɪˈkeɪ

Definitions

  1. Rot; any processes or result of organic matter being gradually decomposed, especially by microbial action.
    uncountable, usually
  2. Deterioration of condition; loss of status, quality, strength, or fortune.
    uncountable, usually
  3. Radioactive decay; decomposition of an atom or its nucleus.
    uncountable, usually
  4. Particle decay; decomposition of a sub-atomic particle.
    uncountable, usually
  5. Continuous decrease of a quantity.
    uncountable, usually
  6. Overthrow, destruction, ruin, death.
    obsolete, uncountable, usually
  7. Array decay.
    uncountable, usually

Equivalents

Čeština hniloba rozklad rozpad
فارسی تباهی
Gaeilge meath meathlú
Gàidhlig crìonadh mùthadh
עברית דעיכה
Magyar hanyatlás
Bahasa Indonesia kemerosotan lapuk pelapukan peluruhan pembusukan
日本語 ディケイ 崩壊 腐敗
한국어 부패 쇠락 쇠약
Latina caries tabes
Te Reo Māori hanehane pōpō
Bahasa Melayu kerosakan pereputan
Nederlands verval
Tagalog pugnaw
Tiếng Việt biến chất

Examples

“tooth decay/dental decay—wood-decay fungi—bacterial decay—photochemical decay”
“I fancied at first the stuff was paraffin wax, and smashed the jar accordingly. But the odor of camphor was unmistakable. It struck me as singularly odd, that among the universal decay, this volatile substance had chanced to survive, perhaps through many thousand years.”
“He spent himself, the labour of his axe, And leave it there far from a useful fireplace To warm the frozen swamp as best it could With the slow smokeless burning of decay.”
“Although the best room of the inn, it had the melancholy aspect of grandeur in decay, and was much too vast for comfort.”
“civic and moral decay—systemic decay—fall into decay—urban decay—arrested decay—memory decay”
“alpha decay—gamma decay—fission decay—decay chain”
“exponential decay—decay rate—orbital decay—decay time—decay constant—time decay”
“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:”

CEFR level

C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.
See all C2 English words →

See also

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