degradation

[ deg-ruh-dey-shuhn ]
/ ˌdɛg rəˈdeɪ ʃən /

noun

the act of degrading.
the state of being degraded.
Physical Geography. the wearing down of the land by the erosive action of water, wind, or ice.
Chemistry. the breakdown of an organic compound.

Origin of degradation

1525–35; < Late Latin dēgradātiōn- (stem of dēgradātiō), equivalent to dēgradāt(us) (past participle of dēgradāre to degrade) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM degradation

Example sentences from the Web for degradation

British Dictionary definitions for degradation

degradation
/ (ˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃən) /

noun

Medical definitions for degradation

degradation
[ dĕg′rə-dāshən ]

n.

Progressive decomposition of a chemical compound into a less complex compound.