Decadence \De*ca"dence\, Decadency \De*ca"den*cy\, n. [LL. decadentia; L. de- + cadere to fall: cf. F. d['e]cadence. See {Decay}.] A falling away; decay; deterioration; declension. ``The old castle, where the family lived in their decadence.'' --Sir W. Scott.
decadency n : the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities [syn: {degeneracy}, {degeneration}, {decadence}]