atrophy

[a-truh-fee]

noun

1. Pathology.,  Also atrophia 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 or without object)

atrophied, atrophying 

1. to affect with or undergo atrophy.

atrophy

/ ˈætrəfɪ, əˈtrɒfɪk /

noun

1. a wasting away of an organ or part, or a failure to grow to normal size as the result of disease, faulty nutrition, etc

2. any degeneration or diminution, esp through lack of use

verb

1. to waste away or cause to waste away

atrophy

1. A wasting or decrease in the size of an organ or tissue, as from death and reabsorption of cells, diminished proliferation of cells, pressure, lack of oxygen, malnutrition, decreased function, or hormonal changes.

atrophy

1. The wasting away or decrease in size of an organ or tissue in the body. When a body part is affected by paralysis, the muscles may atrophy through lack of use.

The term is also used in a more general way to refer to a wasting process: “Since he stopped playing, his piano skills have atrophied.”

Other Word Forms

• atrophic adjective
• nonatrophic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrophy¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier atrophie, from Middle French, from Late Latin atrophia, from Greek, from átroph(os) “not fed, unnourished” (from a- a- ⁶ + troph(ḗ) “nourishment” + -os, adjective suffix; tropho- ) + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrophy¹

C17: from Late Latin atrophia, from Greek, from atrophos ill-fed, from _a- ¹ + -trophos from trephein to feed

Example Sentences

“Our statewide Republican fundraising has atrophied because it has been over a generation since we had a viable statewide candidate in California,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

When it is pulled out, it is examined for patterns of atrophy or old contusions.

From Los Angeles Times

Other research, the study noted, has found “greater male susceptibility to cortical atrophy and neuroinflammation under stress, which aligns with our findings of heightened pandemic-related brain aging in males.”

From Los Angeles Times

"When you get machines thinking for you, your brain just atrophies."

From BBC

What is remembered and honored is his response to the ultimate “failure”: a failure of upper and lower motor neurons to make necessary connections that ultimately leads to rapidly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• degeneration