Nearby Words
noun
1.
the act or process of falling into an inferior condition or state; deterioration; decay: Some historians hold that the fall of Rome can be attributed to internal decadence.
2.
moral degeneration or decay; turpitude.
3.
unrestrained or excessive self-indulgence.
Origin:
1540–50; < Middle French < Medieval Latin dēcadentia, equivalent to Late Latin dēcadent- (stem of dēcadēns), present participle of dēcadere to fall away (de- de- +cad(ere) to fall + -ent- -ent) + -ia noun suffix; see -ence
1540–50; < Middle French < Medieval Latin dēcadentia, equivalent to Late Latin dēcadent- (stem of dēcadēns), present participle of dēcadere to fall away (de- de- +cad(ere) to fall + -ent- -ent) + -ia noun suffix; see -ence
Related forms
non·dec·a·dence, noun
non·dec·a·den·cy, noun
o·ver·dec·a·dence, noun
Synonyms
1. degeneration, retrogression, decline.
1. degeneration, retrogression, decline.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Decadence
is an SAT word you need to know.
So is antiquity. Does it mean:
| showing judgment as to actions |
| the quality of being ancient; former ages; the period of history before the Middle Ages, or the peoples, nations, tribes, or cultures of ancient times |
Example Sentences
- The search for longevity genes is a reflection of the 20th-21st centuries science decadence.
- Then come oracles against the apostasy and moral decadence of the people.
- On first glance, the salon delivered all the glamour and decadence expressed in the advertisements.
Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
decadence
1540s, from M.Fr. decadence (early 15c.), from M.L. decadentia "decay," from decadentem (nom. decadens) "decaying," prp. of decadere "to decay," from L. de- "apart, down" + cadere "to fall" (see case (1)). Used of periods in art since 1852, on French model.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
decadence
a period of decline or deterioration of art or literature that follows an era of great achievement. Examples include the Silver Age of Latin literature, which began about AD 18 following the end of the Golden Age, and the Decadent movement at the end of the 19th century in France and England.
Learn more about decadence with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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