atrophy

What does “atrophy” mean?

noun.to waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells.

SAT Usage

This term is often found in passages related to health, science, or aging, emphasizing the gradual decline of physical abilities or functions. It suggests a process of deterioration that can be slow and insidious, contrasting with more immediate or sudden forms of decline, such as "deteriorate," which lacks the implication of a gradual wasting away.

Common Confusions

Atrophy implies a gradual wasting away of physical abilities or functions, while deteriorate usually suggests a more immediate decline or worsening condition without the specific connotation of gradual degeneration.

Example Sentences

• Her muscles began to atrophy after weeks without exercise.

• Without exercise, the muscles began to atrophy over time.

Word Parts: How to Remember “atrophy”

Break “atrophy” into its parts: a- (not, without). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.

• Prefix: a- not, without (Greek)