atrophy
To wither or waste awayTo wither or waste away.
» Being in outer space atrophies your muscles.
Meaning
2 senses(intransitive)To wither or waste away.
absterben
атрофи́роватьсяatrofírovatʹsja
атрофува́тисяatrofuvátysja
(transitive)To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken.
атрофи́роватьatrofírovatʹ
атрофува́тиatrofuváty
- undergo atrophy
Examples
4 sentencesBeing in outer space atrophies your muscles.
Astronauts' muscles atrophy when they spend a long time in zero gravity.
The muscles in his legs had atrophied during the seven months he was bedridden.
deDie Muskeln seiner Beine haben sich in den sieben Monaten der Bettlägrigkeit zurückgebildet.
Don't let your muscles atrophy.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from French atrophie, from Latin atrophia, from Ancient Greek ἀτροφία (atrophía,Borrowed from French atrophie, from Latin atrophia, from Ancient Greek ἀτροφία (atrophía, “a wasting away”), from ἄτροφος (átrophos, “ill-fed, un-nourished”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + τροφή (trophḗ, “nourishment”), from τρέφω (tréphō, “to fatten”). Equivalent to a- + -trophy.
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Forms
atrophies, atrophying, atrophied, atrophiedAntonyms
2 antonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle