atrophy
- atrophy
- noun
(plural -phies)
Etymology: Late Latin atrophia, from Greek, from atrophos ill fed, from a- + trephein to nourish
Date: 1601
1. decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue; also arrested development or loss of a part or organ incidental to the normal development or life of an animal or plant
2. a wasting away or progressive decline ; degeneration <
the atrophy of freedom
> <>
• atrophic adjective
• atrophy verb
New Collegiate Dictionary.
2001.
Synonyms:
Look at other dictionaries:
atrophy — [a′trə fē] n. [< LL atrophia < Gr, a wasting away < a , not + trephein, to feed: see TROPHIC] a wasting away, esp. of body tissue, an organ, etc., or the failure of an organ or part to grow or develop, as because of insufficient… … English World dictionary
Atrophy — At ro*phy, n. [L. atrophia, Gr. ?; a priv. + ? to nourish: cf. F. atrophie.] A wasting away from lack of nourishment; diminution in bulk or slow emaciation of the body or of any part. Milton. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Atrophy — At ro*phy, v. t. [p. p. {Atrophied}.] To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Atrophy — At ro*phy, v. i. To waste away; to dwindle. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Atrophy — Allgemeine Informationen Genre(s) Thrash Metal Gründung 1986 Website … Deutsch Wikipedia
atrophy — index decay, decline, degenerate, depreciate, deteriorate, deterioration, detriment, dissolution (dis … Law dictionary
atrophy — [n] wasting away, disintegration decline, degeneracy, degeneration, deterioration, diminution, downfall, downgrade; concepts 674,698 … New thesaurus
atrophy — ► VERB (atrophies, atrophied) 1) (of body tissue or an organ) waste away. 2) gradually become less effective or vigorous. ► NOUN ▪ the condition or process of atrophying. DERIVATIVES atrophic adjective … English terms dictionary
atrophy — atrophic /euh trof ik, euh troh fik/, adj. /a treuh fee/, n., v., atrophied, atrophying. n. 1. Also, atrophia /euh troh fee euh/. Pathol. a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage. 2.… … Universalium
Atrophy — For the American thrash metal band, see Atrophy (band) Atrophy Classification and external resources Mice with spinal muscular atrophy MeSH … Wikipedia
Atrophy — Wasting away or diminution. Muscle atrophy is wasting of muscle, decrease in muscle mass. A nerve can also show atrophy. For example, atrophy of the optic nerve diminishes vision. * * * A wasting of tissues, organs, or the entire body, as from… … Medical dictionary