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1. (physics) lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current
   "the particles decayed during the nuclear fission process";
   - disintegrate, decompose
    
2. Fall into decay or ruin
   "The unoccupied house started to decay";
   - crumble, dilapidate
    
3. Undergo decay or decomposition
   "The body started to decay and needed to be cremated"

1. The process of gradually becoming inferior
    
2. A gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current
   - decline
    
3. The organic phenomenon of rotting
   - decomposition
    
4. An inferior state resulting from the process of decaying
   "the corpse was in an advanced state of decay"; "the house had fallen into a serious state of decay and disrepair"
    
5. The spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation
   - radioactive decay, disintegration

Derived forms: decayed, decaying, decays

Type of: action, activity, change, change integrity, decrease, decrement, natural action, natural process, nuclear reaction, organic phenomenon, unsoundness

Encyclopedia: Decay, radioactive