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deteriorate

 - 5 dictionary results

de⋅te⋅ri⋅o⋅rate

  [di-teer-ee-uh-reyt]
Use deteriorate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object), -rat⋅ed, -rat⋅ing.
1. to make or become worse or inferior in character, quality, value, etc.
2. to disintegrate or wear away.
Origin:
1565–75; < LL dēteriōrātus made worse (ptp. of dēteriōrāre), equiv. to L dēterior worse (dē from + -ter- formative in adjs. of spatial orientation (cf. exterior, interior ) + -ior comp. suffix) + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
de⋅te⋅ri⋅o⋅ra⋅tive, adjective

Synonyms:
1. degenerate, decline, worsen.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To deteriorate
de·te·ri·o·rate   (dĭ-tîr'ē-ə-rāt')   
v.   de·te·ri·o·rat·ed, de·te·ri·o·rat·ing, de·te·ri·o·rates

v.   tr.
To diminish or impair in quality, character, or value: Time and neglect had deteriorated the property.
v.   intr.

  1. To grow worse; degenerate: The weather deteriorated overnight. His health had deteriorated while he was in prison.

  2. To weaken or disintegrate; decay: The nation's highways are deteriorating at a rapid pace.


[Late Latin dēteriōrāre, dēteriōrāt-, from Latin dēterior, worse; see de- in Indo-European roots.]
de·te'ri·o·ra'tion n., de·te'ri·o·ra'tive 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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Word Origin & History

deteriorate 
1572, from L.L. deterioratus, pp. of deteriorare "get worse," from L. deterior "worse," contrastive of *deter "bad, lower," from de- "down." Originally transitive in Eng.; intransitive sense is from 1758.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: de·te·ri·o·rate
Pronunciation: di-'tir-E-&-"rAt
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Forms: -rat·ed;-rat·ing
: to become impaired in quality, functioning, or condition : DEGENERATE deteriorated> <deteriorating schizophrenics>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

deteriorate de·te·ri·o·rate (dĭ-tēr'ē-ə-rāt')
v. de·te·ri·o·rat·ed, de·te·ri·o·rat·ing, de·te·ri·o·rates

  1. To grow worse in function or condition.

  2. To weaken or disintegrate.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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