Meaning of decay In English

• 0 to become gradually damaged, worse, or less; to cause something to do this:

  • Sugar makes your teeth decay.

  • The role of the extended family has been decaying for some time.

  • Pollution has decayed the surface of the stonework on the front of the cathedral.

  • the smell of decaying meat

  • Radioactive uranium decays into stable lead at a known rate.

  • As the actinium-225 decays, it gives off short-lived, highly energized alpha particles.

• 1 the process of decaying:

  • environmental/industrial/moral/urban decay

  • dental/tooth decay

  • The buildings had started to fall into decay.

  • This industry has been in decay for some time.

  • Radon is emitted in the natural decay of radioactive materials in rock and soil.

  • the decay rate of beryllium-7

• 2 damage, or a state that becomes gradually worse:

  • The dentist says I have a lot of tooth decay.

  • There’s still too much crime, poverty, and decay in the neighborhood.

  • Your attitude just contributes to the growing social decay.

• 3 the process by which a radioactive substance breaks down and sends out harmful radiation