Degeneration \De*gen`er*a"tion\, n. [Cf. F. d['e]g['e]n['e]ration.]

1. The act or state of growing worse, or the state of having become worse; decline; degradation; debasement; degeneracy; deterioration. [1913 Webster]

Our degeneration and apostasy. --Bates. [1913 Webster]

2. (Physiol.) That condition of a tissue or an organ in which its vitality has become either diminished or perverted; a substitution of a lower for a higher form of structure; as, fatty degeneration of the liver. [1913 Webster]

3. (Biol.) A gradual deterioration, from natural causes, of any class of animals or plants or any particular organ or organs; hereditary degradation of type. [1913 Webster]

4. The thing degenerated. [R.]

[1913 Webster]

Cockle, aracus, . . . and other degenerations. --Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster]

Amyloid degeneration, Caseous degeneration, etc. See under Amyloid, Caseous, etc. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

131 Moby Thesaurus words for "degeneration": abandon, abandonment, abjection, about-face, accommodation, adaptation, adjustment, alteration, amelioration, apostasy, atrophy, betterment, break, change, change of heart, changeableness, closed loop, closed sequence, comedown, constructive change, continuity, conversion, corruptedness, corruption, corruptness, current-control circuit, debasement, decadence, decadency, declension, declination, decline, defection, deformation, degeneracy, degenerateness, degenerative change, degradation, demoralization, demotion, depravation, depravedness, depravity, depreciation, derogation, descent, deterioration, deviation, devolution, difference, discontinuity, dissoluteness, divergence, diversification, diversion, diversity, downfall, downgrade, downtrend, downturn, downward mobility, downward trend, drop, dying, ebb, effeteness, fading, failing, failure, failure of nerve, fall, falling-off, feedback, fitting, flip-flop, flip-flop circuit, gradual change, improvement, involution, lapse, loss of tone, melioration, mitigation, modification, modulation, moral pollution, moral turpitude, overthrow, perversion, positive feedback, process loop, profligacy, qualification, quality loop, radical change, re-creation, realignment, redesign, reform, reformation, regression, remaking, renewal, reprobacy, reshaping, restructuring, retrocession, retrogradation, retrogression, reversal, reversed feedback, revival, revivification, revolution, rottenness, shift, slippage, slump, sudden change, switch, total change, transition, turn, turnabout, turpitude, upheaval, variation, variety, violent change, wane, worsening

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

degeneration

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Degeneration \De*gen`er*a"tion\, n. [Cf. F. d['e]g['e]n['e]ration.]

1. The act or state of growing worse, or the state of having become worse; decline; degradation; debasement; degeneracy; deterioration.

Our degeneration and apostasy. --Bates.

2. (Physiol.) That condition of a tissue or an organ in which its vitality has become either diminished or perverted; a substitution of a lower for a higher form of structure; as, fatty degeneration of the liver.

3. (Biol.) A gradual deterioration, from natural causes, of any class of animals or plants or any particular organ or organs; hereditary degradation of type.

4. The thing degenerated. [R.]

Cockle, aracus, . . . and other degenerations. --Sir T. Browne.

Amyloid degeneration, Caseous degeneration, etc. See under Amyloid, Caseous, etc.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)