Moral or cultural decline characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury. It suggests a deterioration from former standards of excellence or virtue.
From Latin 'decadentia,' meaning 'a falling down,' derived from 'de-' (down) and 'cadere' (to fall). The term originally described the decline of civilizations and entered English in the 16th century with connotations of moral decay.
Think 'decade' + 'dance' - imagine a decade-long dance party that's gotten so excessive it represents moral decline! This word frequently appears in discussions of societal or artistic movements on tests.
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