decrepitud

decrepitude

noun deh-kreh-pee-TOOD Rare

Origin: From Latin decrepitus, 'very old and worn out'.

Usage Note

Decrepitud is a formal, literary noun describing the extreme physical or structural decay that comes with very old age or neglect — it applies to both people and buildings. It is abstract and uncountable in most uses, so it typically appears without an article or with the definite article: la decrepitud del edificio.

Examples

"El castillo mostraba signos de decrepitud."

Natural Translation

The castle showed signs of decrepitude.

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