Word
degenerate
Phoneticsde·gen·er·ate, stress on the second syllable
/dɪˈdʒɛnɝˌeɪt/
Definitions
01morally declined
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. having very low standards of behavior or morals.
adj. having lost desirable or moral qualities; characterized by corruption or lack of ethical standards.
“The old ruler was a degenerate man who cared only for his own wealth.”
“Critics argued that the film's focus on senseless violence was a sign of a degenerate culture obsessed with shock value.”
02simpler than typical
C2 · Proficiency Mathematics Technical
adj. describing a version of something that is much simpler or less developed than usual.
adj. qualitatively simpler than typical objects of its class; in geometry, a limiting case such as a point being a degenerate circle.
“A single point can be seen as a degenerate circle with a radius of zero.”
“The mathematician explained that the line segment was actually a degenerate case of a triangle where the height had collapsed to zero.”
Synonyms
03same energy level
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
adj. having the same amount of energy.
adj. relating to different quantum states that share the same energy level.
“The electrons occupied degenerate orbitals within the same atom.”
“In the absence of an external magnetic field, the three p-orbitals remain degenerate, possessing identical energy levels.”
Synonyms
04to get worse
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to become worse in quality or to break down.
v. to decline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or morally; to sink into a lower or less perfect state.
“The peaceful protest began to degenerate into a violent riot as night fell.”
“Without proper maintenance, the historic building will quickly degenerate into a pile of rubble and rusted metal.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and is frequently followed by the preposition 'into'.
Synonyms
05an immoral person
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal
n. a person who has very low morals or bad habits.
n. a person whose behavior or character has declined to an undesirable or immoral level.
“He was dismissed by his peers as a degenerate who spent all his time gambling.”
“The social reformer argued that the prison system was creating more degenerates rather than rehabilitating the inmates.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“They show that the technology can generate a measurable biological response to light even when the photoreceptors that normally detect light have largely degenerated.” “In a piece in April last year he said the Republican party had “degenerated into a low-IQ cult of personality”.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin dēgenerātus. See -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more.
From a substantivation of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) for more. Compare French dégénéré.
From Latin degenerō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare Italian degenerare, French dégénérer (and its older (and now obsolete) English cognate from Middle French, degener). By surface analysis, de- + generate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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