decaying

3 definitions • 6 examples

present participle of

to become gradually damaged, worse, or less; to cause something to do this:

Sugar makes your teeth decay.

The role of the extended family has been decaying for some time.

Pollution has decayed the surface of the stonework on the front of the cathedral.

the smell of decaying meat

If a radioactive substance decays, it changes to a different form, producing radiation:

decay into Radioactive uranium decays into stable lead at a known rate.

As the actinium-225 decays, it gives off short-lived, highly energized alpha particles.