atrophy
atrophy
[ˈatrəfi]
(-ies, -ied)
[no obj.]
atrophic
adjective
语源
[ˈatrəfi]
(-ies, -ied)
[no obj.]
- (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution
（身体组织或器官的）衰退，萎缩；退化
the calf muscles will atrophy.
腿肚肌肉会萎缩。
[as adj. atrophied]in some beetles, the hindwings are atrophied.
有些甲虫的后翅退化了。
■(figurative)gradually decline in effectiveness or vigour due to underuse or neglect
(喻)（由于未充分利用或忽视而造成效力或活力的）逐渐衰退
the imagination can atrophy from lack of use.
想象力不用会衰退。
- [mass noun]the condition or process of atrophying
衰退；萎缩
gastric atrophy.
胃萎缩。
atrophic
adjective
语源
- late 16th cent.: from French atrophier (verb), atrophie (noun), from late Latin atrophia, from Greek, 'lack of food', from a- 'without' + trophē 'food'
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