What is the Latin word for degeneracy?

The usual Latin words for “degeneracy” are dēgener, dēgenerō, Propertius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“degeneracy” in Latin

dēgenerof inferior stock, low-born; inferior to one’s predecessors, degenerate dēgenerōto degenerate, deteriorate; to be inferior to ancestors; to corrupt, render degenerated PropertiusA Roman family name — famously held by

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

degeneracy

Natural degeneracy; by circumlocution with degener or degenerare; or degenerare in feritatem.

Moral degeneracy, degener animus (Verg., degeneros animos timor arguit): depravatio animi. Livy uses the neuter participle degeneratum (1, 53; ni degeneratum in aliis huic quoque decori offecisset, if his having degenerated in other respects had not, etc.) The gods bear me witness that I cannot justly be charged with degeneracy, di mini sunt testes non degenerasse propinquos (sc. me, Propertius): degeneracy of manners, mores corrupti, depravatique; mores perditi; mores turpes.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for degeneracy?: The usual Latin words for “degeneracy” are dēgener, dēgenerō, Propertius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.