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   At·ro·phy

   /ˈatrəfē/

   

   verb

   • 1. (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution: "without exercise, the muscles will atrophy" Similar waste awaywastebecome emaciatedwithershrivelshrivel upshrinkbecome shrunkendry updecaywiltdeclinedeterioratedegenerategrow weakweakenbecome debilitatedbecome enfeebledOpposite strengthen
   • 2. gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect: "her artistic skills atrophied from lack of use" Similar peter outtaper offtail offdwindledeterioratedeclinewanefadefade awayfade outgive ingive upgive waycrumbledisintegratecollapseslumpgo downhilldraw to a closesubsidebe neglectedbe abandonedbe disregardedbe forgottenOpposite flourish

   noun

   • 1. the process of atrophying or state of having atrophied: "gastric atrophy"

   Word Origin late 16th century: from French atrophier (verb), atrophie (noun), from late Latin atrophia, from Greek, ‘lack of food’, from atrophos ‘poorly nourished’, from a- ‘without’ + trophē ‘food’.

   Scrabble Points: 15

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