1. adjective
a) (of qualities) having deteriorated, degraded or fallen from normal, coherent, balanced and desirable to an undesirable and typically abnormal
The genetic code is degenerate because a single amino acid can be coded by one of several codons.
b) (of a human or system) having lost good or desirable qualities
2. noun
One is degenerate, who has fallen from previous stature.
You are a degenerate, boy. Youre a disgrace to your ancestors.
3. verb
His condition continued to degenerate even after admission to hospital.
Wikipedia foundation.