An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Characterized by or associated with → degeneracy.

Etymology (EN): L. degeneratus, p.p. of degenerare “depart from one’s kind, fall from ancestral quality,” from → de- + gener-, stem of
genus “race, stock, kind,” gignere “to beget,” cf. with Gk. genos “race, kind,” gonos “birth, offspring,” from PIE base *gen-/*gon-/*gn- “to produce, beget, be born,” cf. Av. zan- “to bear, give birth to a child, be born,” infinitive zazāite, zāta- “born,” zana- “race” (in sruuô.zana- “belonging to the race of the horned ones”), O.Pers. zana- “tribe” (in paru-zana- “consisting of many tribes”),
Skt. janati “begets, bears,” jana- “creature, human being, race, tribe, people.”

Etymology (PE): Vâgen, from vâ-, → de-, + gen “kind,” (as in hamgen “of the same kind, like each other; friend, partner,” from ham- “together,” → com- + gen “kind,” O.Pers./Av. zana- “race; tribe,” cognate with L. genus, as above). Alternatively, gen may be a variant of Mid./Mod.Pers. gôn/gun “kind, type; manner; color, skin color,” from Av. gaona- “hair, hair color, color.”