Definition
The state of having declined from a former or higher condition; deterioration in physical, mental, or moral qualities.
Etymology
From Latin degenerare (to fall below one's kind) + -acy (noun suffix). Medieval and Renaissance thinkers used this to describe societal decline, but the term is now often considered outdated or offensive.
Kelly Says
In the 1890s, some Europeans blamed 'degeneracy' on cities, alcohol, and immigration—a pseudoscientific theory that was actually used to justify horrible policies, showing how scientific-sounding language can hide prejudice.
Translations
ARالعربية
التدهور
al-ta-de-hor
CACatalà
degeneració
de-ge-ne-ra-ció
CSČeština
degradace
de-gra-da-ce
DADansk
forfald
for-fal-d
DEDeutsch
Verfall
fer-fall
ELΕλληνικά
απώλεια
a-po-lia
ESEspañol
degeneración
de-ge-ne-ra-ción
FISuomi
heikkeneminen
hei-k-ke-ne-mi-nen
FRFrançais
dégénérescence
de-ge-ne-res-cence
HEעברית
הידרדרות
hi-der-de-rot
HIहिन्दी
विसर्जन
vi-sar-jan
HUMagyar
degeneráció
de-ge-ne-ra-ció
IDBahasa Indonesia
degenerasi
de-ge-ne-ra-si
ITItaliano
degenerazione
de-ge-ne-ra-zione
KKKK
жалпақтау
jal-pa-q-tau
KMKM
ការបាត់បង់
ka-ar ba-at-ba-ng
MSBahasa Melayu
degenerasi
de-ge-ne-ra-si
NLNederlands
degeneratie
de-ge-ne-ra-tie
PLPolski
degradaacja
de-gra-da-a-cja
PTPortuguês
degeneração
de-ge-ne-ra-ção
RORomână
degradare
de-gra-dare
RUРусский
деградация
de-gra-da-tsi-ya
SVSvenska
förfall
for-fall
SWKiswahili
uharibifu
oo-ha-ri-bi-fu
TAதமிழ்
வீழ்ச்சி
vi-i-zh-ch-chi
TEతెలుగు
విలోమం
vi-lo-mam
THไทย
การเสื่อมโทรม
gaan se-uam to-rom
TLTL
pagkasira
pa-g-ka-si-ra
TRTürkçe
değer kaybı
de-ğer kay-bi
UKУкраїнська
деградація
de-gra-da-tsi-ya
VITiếng Việt
sự suy thoái
suy tho-ai
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Historically weaponized against women, queer people, and marginalized groups—labeled 'degenerate' as pseudoscientific justification for exclusion. The term carries baggage from eugenics and moral panic rhetoric.
Inclusive Usage
In technical contexts (quantum states, biological variation), neutrally applicable. In social commentary, avoid—the term has no descriptive precision and conflates difference with decline.
Inclusive Alternatives
["variation","mutation","difference","diversity"]