Describing a disease or condition that gradually gets worse over time, with progressive loss of function.
From Latin 'degenerare' meaning to fall short of one's ancestors, combining 'de-' (down) and 'generare' (to produce). Originally meant moral decline but shifted to physical decline.
The word 'degenerate' originally meant losing your family's honor or status, which is why it carried such shame—when we apply it to diseases, we're using centuries-old language about social decline to describe physical decline.
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