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Decadence vs Excess - What's the difference?

decadence | excess |

As nouns the difference between decadence and excess

is that decadence is a state of moral or artistic decline or deterioration; decay while excess is the state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or proper; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light.

As an adjective excess is

more than is normal, necessary or specified.

decadence

Noun

  • A state of moral or artistic decline or deterioration; decay
  • * 1956 — , The City and the Stars , p 35
  • "Stability, however, is not enough. It leads too easily to stagnation, and thence to decadence ."

    excess

    English

    Noun

    (es) (Spherical excess)
  • The state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or proper; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light.
  • * , King John , act 4, scene 2:
  • To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
    To throw a perfume on the violet, . . .
    Is wasteful and ridiculous excess .
  • * , "Jealosy", in The Poetical Works of William Walsh (1797), page 19 (Google preview):
  • That kills me with excess' of grief, this with ' excess of joy.
  • The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder.
  • The difference between two numbers is the excess of one over the other.
  • An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance; dissipation.
  • * :
  • And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess .
  • * 1667 , , Paradise Lost , Book III:
  • Fair Angel, thy desire . . .
    . . . leads to no excess
    That reaches blame
  • (geometry) Spherical excess, the amount by which the sum of the three angles of a spherical triangle exceeds two right angles. The spherical excess is proportional to the area of the triangle.
  • (British, insurance) A condition on an insurance policy by which the insured pays for a part of the claim.
  • Synonyms

    * (qualifier) (l)

    Antonyms

    * deficiency

    Adjective

    (-)
  • More than is normal, necessary or specified.
  • Derived terms

    * excess baggage

    See also

    * usury