De‐gen″er‐ate (?), a. [L. degeneratus, p. p. of degenerare to degenerate, cause to degenerate, fr. degener base, degenerate, that departs from its race or kind; de- + genus race, kind. See Kin relationship.] Having become worse than one's kind, or one's former state; having declined in worth; having lost in goodness; deteriorated; degraded; unworthy; base; low.
Faint-hearted and degenerate king. Shak.
A degenerate and degraded state. Milton.
Degenerate from their ancient blood. Swift.
These degenerate days. Pope.
I had planted thee a noble vine...: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? Jer. ii. 21.