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atrophying - 2 dictionary results
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at⋅ro⋅phy

  [a-truh-fee] noun, verb, -phied, -phy⋅ing.
Use atrophying in a Sentence
–noun
1. Also, a⋅tro⋅phi⋅a  [uh-troh-fee-uh] . 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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at·ro·phy   (āt'rə-fē)   
n.   pl. at·ro·phies
  1. 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.
  2. 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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