atrophy
1. at.ro.phy \'a-tr*-fe-\ n [LL atrophia, fr. Gk, fr. atrophos ill fed, fr. a- + treph]ein to nourish; akin to Gk thrombos clot, curd : decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue; also :: arrested development or loss of a part or organ incidental to the normal development or life of an animal or plant 2. atrophy vb : to undergo atrophy : to cause to undergo atrophy