Search Result for "degeneracy": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (2)

1. the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities;
[syn: degeneracy, degeneration, decadence, decadency]

2. moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles;
- Example: "the luxury and corruption among the upper classes"
- Example: "moral degeneracy followed intellectual degeneration"
- Example: "its brothels, its opium parlors, its depravity"
- Example: "Rome had fallen into moral putrefaction"
[syn: corruption, degeneracy, depravation, depravity, putrefaction]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Degeneracy \De*gen"er*a*cy\, n. [From Degenerate, a.]
   1. The act of becoming degenerate; a growing worse.
      [1913 Webster]

            Willful degeneracy from goodness.     --Tillotson.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The state of having become degenerate; decline in good
      qualities; deterioration; meanness.
      [1913 Webster]

            Degeneracy of spirit in a state of slavery.
                                                  --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

            To recover mankind out of their universal corruption
            and degeneracy.                       --S. Clarke.
      [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

degeneracy
    n 1: the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
         [syn: degeneracy, degeneration, decadence,
         decadency]
    2: moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles;
       "the luxury and corruption among the upper classes"; "moral
       degeneracy followed intellectual degeneration"; "its
       brothels, its opium parlors, its depravity"; "Rome had fallen
       into moral putrefaction" [syn: corruption, degeneracy,
       depravation, depravity, putrefaction]