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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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.
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Our degeneration and apostasy. --Bates.
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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.
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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.
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4. The thing degenerated. [R.]
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Cockle, aracus, . . . and other degenerations. --Sir
T. Browne.
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{Amyloid degeneration}, {Caseous degeneration}, etc. See
under {Amyloid}, {Caseous}, etc.
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