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Degeneracy: meaning, definitions and examples

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degeneracy

 

[ dɪˈdʒɛnərəsi ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

genetics

The condition or fact of being degenerate, especially in the sense of having lost some or all of the qualities proper to one's species or kind, often as a result of evolutionary change.

Synonyms

decay, degeneration, deterioration

Examples of usage

  • Scientists studied the degeneracy of the gene in the population.
  • Genetic degeneracy can lead to various abnormalities.
Context #2 | Noun

physics

The property of the genetic code in which a given amino acid can be coded by one or more different codons.

Synonyms

multiplicity, redundancy, variability

Examples of usage

  • The concept of degeneracy in the genetic code enhances its robustness.
  • In the genetic code, degeneracy allows for some redundancy in codon usage.

Translations

Translations of the word "degeneracy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 degeneração

🇮🇳 अपक्षय

🇩🇪 Degeneration

🇮🇩 degenerasi

🇺🇦 дегенерація

🇵🇱 degeneracja

🇯🇵 退化 (taika)

🇫🇷 dégénérescence

🇪🇸 degeneración

🇹🇷 dejenerasyon

🇰🇷 퇴화 (toehwa)

🇸🇦 تنكس

🇨🇿 degenerace

🇸🇰 degenerácia

🇨🇳 退化 (tuìhuà)

🇸🇮 degeneracija

🇮🇸 hrörnun

🇰🇿 дегенерация

🇬🇪 დეგენერაცია

🇦🇿 degenerasiya

🇲🇽 degeneración

Etymology

The word 'degeneracy' originates from the Latin word 'degenerare', meaning 'to become worse'. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-16th century, primarily used in a biological context to describe the deterioration or loss of qualities in organisms. Over time, its usage expanded to other fields such as genetics and physics, reflecting the concept of variability and redundancy. Today, 'degeneracy' remains a key term in various scientific disciplines to denote the loss of original characteristics or the existence of multiple codes for the same function.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,373, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.