/'dekədəns; `dɛkədəns/
n [U]
(a) (falling to a) lower level (in morals, art, literature, etc) esp after a period at a high level （道德伦理、艺术、文学等的）衰落, 堕落（尤指经过一鼎盛时期後）
*the decadence of late Victorian art 维多利亚晚期文艺的衰落.
(b) attitude or behaviour that shows this 表现出此种衰落的态度或行为
*the decadence of the rich Western countries 富裕的西方国家中的颓废行为.

n[U]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: French;Origin: décadence, from Latin decadere 'to fall, sink']
behaviour that shows that someone has low moral standards and is more concerned with pleasure than serious matters