atrophy definition | Dictionary.com

at⋅ro⋅phy

[a-truh-fee]

noun, verb, -phied, -phy⋅ing.

–noun

1.	Also, a⋅tro⋅phi⋅a [uh-troh-fee-uh] Show IPA . Pathology. a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.

2.	degeneration, decline, or decrease, as from disuse: He argued that there was a progressive atrophy of freedom and independence of thought.

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

3.	to affect with or undergo atrophy.

Origin:
1590–1600; earlier atrophie (< MF) < LL atrophia < Gk, equiv. to átroph(os) not fed (see a- ⁶ , tropho- ) + -ia -ia

Related forms:

a⋅troph⋅ic [uh-trof-ik, uh-troh-fik]

, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To atrophy

at·ro·phy (āt'rə-fē)

n. pl. at·ro·phies

Pathology A wasting or decrease in size of a body organ, tissue, or part owing to disease, injury, or lack of use: muscular atrophy of a person affected with paralysis.
A wasting away, deterioration, or diminution: intellectual atrophy.

v.   at·ro·phied, at·ro·phy·ing, at·ro·phies

v.   tr.
To cause to wither or deteriorate; affect with atrophy.
v.   intr.
To waste away; wither or deteriorate.

[Late Latin atrophia, from Greek atrophiā, from atrophos, ill-nourished : a-, without; see a-¹ + trophē, food.]
a·troph'ic (ā-trŏf'ĭk) adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Atrophy

At"ro*phy\, n. [L. atrophia, Gr. ?; 'a priv. + ? to nourish: cf. F. atrophie.] A wasting away from want of nourishment; diminution in bulk or slow emaciation of the body or of any part. --Milton.

Atrophy

At"ro*phy\, v. t. [p. p. Atrophied.] To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken.

Atrophy

At"ro*phy\, v. i. To waste away; to dwindle.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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atrophy [(at-ruh-fee)]

The wasting away or decrease in size of an organ or tissue in the body. When a body part is affected by paralysis, the muscles may atrophy through lack of use.

Note: The term is also used in a more general way to refer to a wasting process: “Since he stopped playing, his piano skills have atrophied.”

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

atrophy

1597 (implied in atrophied), from Fr. atrophie, from L.L. atrophia, from Gk. atrophia "a wasting away," noun of state from atrophos "ill-fed, un-nourished," from a- "not" + trophe "nourishment," from trephein "to fatten."

Main Entry: ¹at·ro·phy
Pronunciation: 'a-tr&-fE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -phies
: decrease insize 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

Main Entry: ²atrophy
Pronunciation: 'a-tr&-fE, -"fI
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -phied; -phy·ing
intransitivesenses
: to undergo atrophy atrophied> atrophy transitive senses
: to cause to undergo atrophy atrophiedthe arm>

atrophy at·ro·phy (āt'rə-fē)
n.
A wasting or decrease in the size of an organ or tissue, as from death and reabsorption of cells, diminished cellular proliferation, pressure, ischemia, malnutrition, decreased function, or hormonal changes. Also called atrophia. v. at·ro·phied, at·ro·phy·ing, at·ro·phies
To undergo atrophy.

a·troph'ic (ā-trŏf'ĭk) adj.

atrophy (āt'rə-fē) Pronunciation Key
A wasting or decrease in the size of an organ or tissue, as from death and reabsorption of cells, diminished proliferation of cells, pressure, lack of oxygen, malnutrition, decreased function, or hormonal changes.

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