deterioration

1 a symptom of reduced quality or strength [syn: impairment]

2 process of changing to an inferior state [syn: decline in quality, declension, worsening]

English

Pronunciation

Noun

1. The process of growing worse, or the state of having grown worse.

Deterioration, from Latin deteriorare "to make worse", can refer to any sort of worsening:

• attrition in general
• physical wear
• degeneration (medical)
• genetic deterioration

See also

• Degeneracy

A classic literature example of deterioration is the title character from William Shakespeare's play 'Othello'

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