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Pollution vs Degradation - What's the difference?

pollution | degradation |

As nouns the difference between pollution and degradation

is that pollution is the act of polluting or the state of being polluted, especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances while degradation is the act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop.

pollution

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of polluting or the state of being polluted, especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances.
  • * {{quote-book, year=2006, author=, title=Internal Combustion
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=If successful, Edison and Ford—in 1914—would move society away from the
  • Something that pollutes; a pollutant.
  • (archaic) Physical defilement.
  • (medicine, obsolete) The emission of semen at other times than in sexual intercourse.
  • * 1839 , Robley Dunglison, Medical Lexicon'', Blanchard, page 492 defines ''POLLUTION as:
  • The excretion of seminal liquor or sperm, at other times than during coition. When occasioned by a voluntary act it is called, simply, Pollution'' or ''Masturbation'' (q.v.); when excited, during sleep, by lascivious dreams, it takes the name ''Noctur'nal pollution, Exoneiro'sis, Oneirog'mos, Oneirog'onos, Gonorrhœ'a dormien'tium, G. oneirog'onos, G. Vera, G. libidino'sa, Proflu'vium Sem'inis, Spermatorrhœ'a, Paronir'ia salax, Night pollution.

    Synonyms

    * soilage * (masturbation) self-pollution

    Antonyms

    * conservation * purity

    Derived terms

    * air pollution * light pollution * noise pollution * self-pollution * soil pollution * water pollution

    degradation

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop.
  • The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement.
  • Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration.
  • (geology) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc.
  • A deleterious change in the chemical structure, physical properties or appearance of a material from natural or artificial exposure.
  • The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration.
  • Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole.
  • The gradual breakdown of components of a material, as a result of a natural element, i.e.: heat, cold and wind.
  • Derived terms

    * biodegradation