degenerative

views updated

de·gen·er·a·tive / diˈjenərətiv; -əˌrātiv/ • adj. (of a disease or symptom) characterized by progressive, often irreversible deterioration, and loss of function in the organs or tissues. ∎  of or tending to decline and deterioration: the young generation had fallen into a degenerative backslide.

More From encyclopedia.com