decay

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: decry, delay, decoy, denay, deray, decan, decal, decaf, deca, deca-, decad

Antonyms: decry, delay, decoy, denay, deray, decan, decal, decaf, deca, deca-, decad

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. {{lb|en|biology}} [[rot|Rot]]; any [[process]]es or [[result]] of organic matter being gradually [[decompose]]d, especially by microbial action.
2. {{1|deterioration}} of [[condition]]; loss of [[status]], [[quality]], [[strength]], or [[fortune]].
3. {{lb|en|physics}} {{1|radioactive decay}}; decomposition of an atom or its nucleus.
4. {{lb|en|physics}} {{1|particle decay}}; decomposition of a [[sub-atomic]] particle.
5. Continuous decrease of a quantity.
6. {{lb|en|obsolete}} [[overthrow|Overthrow]], [[destruction]], [[ruin]], [[death]].
7. {{lb|en|programming}} {{1|array decay}}.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|intransitive}} To [[deteriorate]], to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.
2. {{lb|en|intransitive|of organic material}} To [[rot]], to go bad.
3. {{lb|en|intransitive|transitive|physics|chemistry|of an unstable atom}} To [[change]] by [[undergo]]ing [[fission]], by [[emit]]ting [[radiation]], or by capturing or losing one or more electrons; to undergo radioactive decay. {{C|en|Radioactivity}}
4. {{lb|en|intransitive|transitive|physics|of a quantum system}} To [[undergo]] [[w:optical decay|optical decay]], that is, to [[relax]] to a less [[excited]] [[state]], usually by [[emit]]ting a [[photon]] or [[phonon]].
5. {{lb|en|intransitive|aviation}} Loss of [[airspeed]] due to [[drag]].
6. {{lb|en|transitive}} To [[cause]] to [[rot]] or [[deteriorate]].
7. {{lb|en|programming|intransitive}} Of an [[array]]: to lose its [[type]] and [[dimension]]s and be reduced to a [[pointer]], for example when passed to a [[function]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.