degeneration

変性

体の組織が傷み、働きが悪くなる変化。

やさしい英語で： A change in which body tissue becomes damaged and works less well.

• The scan showed tissue degeneration.
• Age can increase the risk of macular degeneration.
• Treatment may slow the degeneration of damaged muscles.

使い方： degeneration of something (The disease causes degeneration of nerve tissue.)

類義語： deterioration

よく使う表現： macular degeneration, fatty degeneration, nerve degeneration

劣化、退廃

物事が徐々に弱くなったり、悪くなったり、役に立たなくなったりすること。

やさしい英語で： A gradual change in which something becomes weaker, worse, or less useful.

• The report describes a gradual degeneration.
• Poor maintenance caused the degeneration of the old bridge.
• She blamed the degeneration of debate on personal attacks.

使い方： degeneration of something (They feared the degeneration of public debate.)

類義語： deterioration, decline, decay

反対語： improvement

よく使う表現： gradual degeneration, degeneration of something