decay

decay

CEFR: C1-C2 /de-cay/ [d.ih0.k.ey1]

When something such as a dead body, a dead plant, or a tooth decays, it is gradually destroyed by a natural process. An example in a sentence:

Example Sentences:
Radioactive atoms decay into stable atoms by a simple mathematical process. Half of the available atoms will change in a given period of time, known as the half-life.

Decay is also a noun, meaning a process of being destroyed by a natural process. An example in a sentence:

Example Sentences:
The new method of mummification began around 2600 BC when the Egyptians began to remove the internal organs to prevent fast decay.