Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense decays, present participle decaying, past tense, past participle decayed
1. verb
When something such as a dead body, a dead plant, or a tooth decays, it is gradually destroyed by a natural process.
The bodies buried in the fine ash slowly decayed. [VERB]
The ground was scattered with decaying leaves. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: rot, break down, disintegrate, spoil More Synonyms of decay
Decay is also a noun.
When not removed, plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease.
decayedadjective
...decayed teeth.
Synonyms: rotten, bad, decaying, wasted More Synonyms of decay
2. verb
If something such as a society, system, or institution decays, it gradually becomes weaker or its condition gets worse.
Popular cinema seems to have decayed. [VERB]
Congress has tried dozens of approaches to revitalize decaying urban and rural areas. [VERB-ing]
Decay is also a noun.
There are problems of urban decay and gang violence.
More Synonyms of decay
decay in British English
(dɪˈkeɪ)
verb
1.
to decline or cause to decline gradually in health, prosperity, excellence, etc; deteriorate; waste away
2.
to rot or cause to rot as a result of bacterial, fungal, or chemical action; decompose
3. Also: disintegrate(intransitive) physics
a.
(of an atomic nucleus) to undergo radioactive disintegration
b.
(of an elementary particle) to transform into two or more different elementary particles
4. (intransitive) physics
(of a stored charge, magnetic flux, etc) to decrease gradually when the source of energy has been removed
noun
5.
the process of decline, as in health, mentality, beauty, etc
6.
the state brought about by this process
7.
decomposition, as of vegetable matter
8.
rotten or decayed matter
the dentist drilled out the decay
9. physics
a. radioactive decay
b.
a spontaneous transformation of an elementary particle into two or more different particles
c.
(of an excited atom or molecule) the losing of energy by the spontaneous emission of photons
10. physics
a gradual decrease of a stored charge, magnetic flux, current, etc, when the source of energy has been removed
See also time constant
11. music
the fading away of a note
Derived forms
decayable (deˈcayable)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from Old Northern French decaïr, from Late Latin dēcadere, literally: to fall away, from Latin cadere to fall
decay in American English
(diˈkeɪ; dɪˈkeɪ)
verb intransitive
1.
to lose strength, soundness, health, beauty, prosperity, etc. gradually; waste away; deteriorate
2.
to rot or decompose
3.
to undergo radioactive disintegration spontaneously
verb transitive
4.
to cause to decay
noun
5.
a gradual decline; deterioration
6.
a wasting away
7.
a rotting or decomposing, as of vegetable matter
8.
a.
rottenness
b.
decayed or rotted matter
9.
a.
the spontaneous disintegration of radioactive atoms with a resulting decrease intheir number
see also half-life
b.
the spontaneous disintegration of a particle or nucleus, as a meson, baryon, etc., as it changes into a more stable state
see also radioactive series
SYNONYMY NOTE: decay implies gradual, often natural, deterioration from a normal or sound condition [his teeth have begun to decay]; rot refers to the decay of organic, esp. vegetable, matter, caused by bacteria, fungi,etc. [rotting apples]; putrefy suggests the offensive, foul-smelling rotting of animal matter [bodies putrefying in the fields]; spoil is the common informal word for the decay of foods [fish spoils quickly in summer]; molder suggest a slow, progressive, crumbling decay [old buildings molder away]; disintegrate implies the breaking up of something into parts or fragments so that the wholenessof the original is destroyed [the disintegration of rocks]; decompose suggests the breaking up or separation of something into its component elements [a decomposing chemical compound]: it is also a somewhat euphemistic substitute for rot, putrefy
Word origin
ME decaien < Anglo-Fr & OFr decäir < VL *decadere: see decadence
Examples of 'decay' in a sentence
decay
Chewing gum can remove up to 100million bacteria in just ten minutes, reducing your risk of tooth decay.
The Sun (2017)
If they are old enough, explain about tooth decay and why it's important to get back to healthy food.
The Sun (2016)
The decaying body might affect stamina but has no other influence on artistic product.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Looking at this fresh sign of decay and decline is strangely compelling.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There is a poignant beauty in the process of decay.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Tooth decay and gum disease can sometimes be inherited from your parents.
The Sun (2015)
Obesity is on the rise and so is tooth decay in youngsters.
The Sun (2015)
If a deluge of decaying matter is dumped on them they cannot consume it fast enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There was no oxygen and few bacteria to cause decay.
The Sun (2009)
The only conservation that should take place should be that which attempts to stop processes of decay.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Dental decay is a disease of social disadvantage.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
More than a quarter also have tooth decay.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The reality of this universal decay of matter into radiation is now to be put to experimental test.
Dyson, Freeman Infinite in All Directions (1989)
We are urban explorers, discovering street art and the pleasure of decaying urban spaces.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Being Dead found beauty in physical decay.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter, formed over hundreds of thousands of years.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
One of the side-effects can be a dry mouth which may contribute to the chance of tooth decay or gum disease.
Martlew, Gillian & Silver, Shelley (ed) The Medicine Chest - your family's guide to prescription drugs (1988)
Last summer a major discount store on the wrong side of town was going out of business, a victim of urban decay.
Christianity Today (2000)
It's a recipe for decay and decline - and would be terribly hard to escape.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We feel the man's pomposity and age, taste the heat and sweat of his desperation in the grip of beauty and decay.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Since that survey took place, more slums have been cleared and more dwellings repaired and improved, but likewise more will have decayed and declined.
Brown, Muriel & Payne Sarah Introduction to Social Administration in Britain (1990)
In other languages
decay
British English: decay /dɪˈkeɪ/ VERB
When something such as a dead body, a dead plant, or a tooth decays, it is gradually destroyed by a natural process.
You need to protect your teeth from decaying.
American English: decay
Arabic: يَتَعَفَّنُ
Brazilian Portuguese: decair
Chinese: 腐烂
Croatian: raspadati se
Czech: rozklad mrtvé tkáně
Danish: forfalde
Dutch: vervallen
European Spanish: deteriorarse
Finnish: mädäntyä
French: se décomposer
German: verfallen
Greek: αποσυντίθεμαι
Italian: decomporsi
Japanese: 衰える
Korean: 썩다
Norwegian: forfalle
Polish: stracić siły
European Portuguese: decair
Romanian: a se degrada
Russian: разлагаться
Latin American Spanish: deteriorarse
Swedish: förfall
Thai: เน่าเปื่อย
Turkish: çürümek
Ukrainian: розкладатися
Vietnamese: sâu, mục
All related terms of 'decay'
alpha decay
the radioactive decay process resulting in emission of alpha particles
beta decay
the radioactive transformation of an atomic nucleus accompanying the emission of an electron . It involves unit change of atomic number but none in mass number
tooth decay
If you have tooth decay , one or more of your teeth has become decayed.
urban decay
the decay and deterioration of an urban area due to neglect or age
radioactive decay
disintegration of a nucleus that occurs spontaneously or as a result of electron capture . One or more different nuclei are formed and usually particles and gamma rays are emitted
Chinese translation of 'decay'
decay
(dɪˈkeɪ)
vi
(= rot)[body, leaves, teeth]腐烂(爛) (fǔlàn)
[society, system etc]腐朽 (fǔxiǔ)
n(u)
[of body, tooth]腐烂(爛) (fǔlàn)
[of society, system etc]腐朽 (fǔxiǔ)
1 (verb)
Definition
to rot or cause to rot
The dead leaves slowly decayed.
Synonyms
rot
The grain will start rotting in the silos.
break down
disintegrate
spoil
Fats spoil by becoming tainted.
crumble
Under the pressure, the flint crumbled into fragments.
The chalk cliffs are crumbling.
deteriorate
X-rays are used to prevent fresh food from deteriorating.
perish
The rubber lining had perished.
degenerate
The argument degenerated into a fist fight.
fester
The food will fester and go to waste.
decompose
foods which decompose and rot
mortify
moulder
the empty, mouldering old house
go bad
putrefy (formal)
the stench of corpses putrefying in the sweltering heat
2 (verb)
Definition
to decline gradually in health, prosperity, or quality
The work ethic in this country has decayed over the past 30 years.
Synonyms
decline
a declining birth rate
sink
Our hopes were sinking fast.
break down
diminish
The threat of war has diminished.
dissolve
His new-found optimism dissolved.
crumble
deteriorate
There are fears that the situation may deteriorate.
fall off
Unemployment is rising again and retail buying has fallen off.
dwindle
The factory's workforce has dwindled.
lessen
Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.
wane
His interest in art to wane.
disintegrate
degenerate
Opposites
increase,
grow
,
flower
,
expand
,
flourish
1 (noun)
Definition
the process of something rotting
Plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease.
Synonyms
rot
Investigations revealed rot in the beams.
rotting
deterioration
enzymes that cause the deterioration of food
corruption
The corruption of the body is an unavoidable feature of old age.
mould
blight
perishing
disintegration
corrosion
decomposition
The bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.
gangrene
mortification
He treated cases of infection, ulceration and mortification.
canker
The canker of anti-semitism is growing again in this country.
caries
putrefaction
putrescence
cariosity
putridity
2 (noun)
problems of urban decay
Synonyms
decline
Rome's decline in the fifth century.
collapse
deterioration
the rapid deterioration in relations between the two countries
failing
fading
decadence
a prime example of the decadence of the age
degeneration
the degeneration of our political system
degeneracy
the moral degeneracy of society
Opposites
growth
Additional synonyms
in the sense of canker
Definition
something evil that spreads and corrupts
The canker of anti-semitism is growing again in this country.
Synonyms
corruption,
disease,
cancer,
infection,
rot,
blight,
scourge,
corrosion,
bane
in the sense of corruption
Definition
the process of rotting or decaying
The corruption of the body is an unavoidable feature of old age.
Synonyms
rotting,
infection,
pollution,
rot,
decay,
adulteration,
debasement,
foulness,
putrefaction,
rottenness,
defilement,
putrescence
in the sense of crumble
Definition
to fall apart or decay
Under the pressure, the flint crumbled into fragments.The chalk cliffs are crumbling.