DEGRADATION
degradation, debasement
(noun) changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
abasement, degradation, abjection
(noun) a low or downcast state; “each confession brought her into an attitude of abasement”- H.L.Menchken
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
degradation (countable and uncountable, plural degradations)
The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society
The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement.
Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration.
(geology) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc.
A deleterious change in the chemical structure, physical properties or appearance of a material from natural or artificial exposure.
The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration.
Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole.
The gradual breakdown of components of a material, as a result of a natural element, i.e.: heat, cold and wind.
Hyponyms
• biodegradation
• graceful degradation
• Marker degradation
Anagrams
• gradationed
Source: Wiktionary
Deg`ra*da"tion, n. Etym: [LL. degradatio, from degradare: cf. F.
dégradation. See Degrade.]
1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of
abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society;
diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a
bishop.
He saw many removes and degradations in all the other offices of
which he had been possessed. Clarendon.
2. The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation;
baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace;
abasement; debasement.
The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters. Macaulay.
Deplorable is the degradation of our nature. South.
Moments there frequently must be, when a sidegradation of his state.
Blair.
3. Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value;
degeneration; deterioration.
The development and degradation of the alphabetic forms can be
traced. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).
4. (Geol.)
Definition: A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by
the action of water, fro
5. (Biol.)
Definition: The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits
degraded forms; degeneration.
The degradation of the species man is observed in some of its
varieties. Dana.
6. (Physiol.)
Definition: Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the
body as a whole. Degradation of energy, or Dissipation of energy
(Physics), the transformation of energy into some form in which it is
less available for doing work.
Syn.
– Abasement; debasement; reduction; decline.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition