I. di-ˈjen-rət, -ˈje-nə-, dē- adjective
Etymology: Middle English degenerat, from Latin degeneratus, past participle of degenerare to degenerate, from de- + gener-, genus race, kind — more at kin
Date: 15th century
1.
a. : having declined or become less specialized (as in nature, character, structure, or function) from an ancestral or former state
b. : having sunk to a condition below that which is normal to a type ; especially : having sunk to a lower and usually corrupt and vicious state
c. : degraded 2
2. : being mathematically simpler (as by having a factor or constant equal to zero) than the typical case
a degenerate hyperbola
3. : characterized by atoms stripped of their electrons and by very great density
degenerate matter
also : consisting of degenerate matter
a degenerate star
4. : having two or more states or subdivisions
degenerate energy level
5. : having more than one codon representing an amino acid ; also : being such a codon
Synonyms: see vicious
• de·gen·er·ate·ly adverb
• de·gen·er·ate·ness noun
II. di-ˈje-nə-ˌrāt, dē- verb
Date: 1545
intransitive verb
1. : to pass from a higher to a lower type or condition : deteriorate
2. : to sink into a low intellectual or moral state
3. : to decline in quality
the poetry gradually degenerate s into jingles
4. : to decline from a condition or from the standards of a species, race, or breed
5. : to evolve or develop into a less autonomous or less functionally active form
degenerated into dependent parasites
transitive verb
: to cause to degenerate
III. di-ˈjen-rət, -ˈje-nə-, dē- noun
Date: 1555
: one that is degenerate: as
a. : one degraded from the normal moral standard
b. : a sexual pervert
c. : one showing signs of reversion to an earlier culture stage