\Deg`ra*da"tion\, n. [LL. degradatio, from
degradare: cf. F. d['e]gradation. See {Degrade}.]
1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or
   of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in
   office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a
   peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop.
         He saw many removes and degradations in all the
         other offices of which he had been possessed.
                                               --Clarendon.
2. The state of being reduced in rank, character, or
   reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual
   degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement.
         The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters.
                                               --Macaulay.
         Deplorable is the degradation of our nature.
                                               --South.
         Moments there frequently must be, when a sinner is
         sensible of the degradation of his state. --Blair.
3. Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value;
   degeneration; deterioration.
         The development and degradation of the alphabetic
         forms can be traced.                  --I. Taylor
                                               (The
                                               Alphabet).
4. (Geol.) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and
   banks, by the action of water, frost etc.
5. (Biol.) The state or condition of a species or group which
   exhibits degraded forms; degeneration.
         The degradation of the species man is observed in
         some of its varieties.                --Dana.
6. (Physiol.) Arrest of development, or degeneration of any
   organ, or of the body as a whole.
{Degradation of energy}, or {Dissipation of energy}
   (Physics), the transformation of energy into some form in
   which it is less available for doing work.
Syn: Abasement; debasement; reduction; decline.