Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

degenerate

Cross references:
  1. vicious               
 
1. de.gen.er.ate \-'jen-(*-)r*t\ aj [ME degenerat, fr. L degeneratus, pp. 
   of degenerare to degene]rate, fr. de- + gener-, genus race, kind - more at 
   KIN 1: having degenerated :  1a1: having declined markedly from one's 
   ancestors, predecessors, or forme r self 1a2: RETROGRADE  1b: having 
   deteriorated from a former level  1c: DEGRADED  1d: DEBASED  2: marked by 
   lowered standards  - de.gen.er.ate.ly av
2. degenerate n : one that is degenerate : as  : one degraded from the 
   normal moral standard  : one debased by a psychopathic tendency  : a sexual 
   pervert  : one showing signs of reversion to an earlier culture stage 
3. de.gen.er.ate \di-'jen-*-.ra-t\ vi 1: to pass from a higher to a lower 
   type or condition : DETERIORATEM {~ from the ancestral stock} 2: to undergo 
   progressive deterioration : become of a lower biological t ype 3: to sink 
   into a low intellectual or moral state  4: to decline in quality  : to 
   cause to degenerate