hairy cell leukemia a form of chronic leukemia marked by splenomegaly and by an abundance of abnormal large mononuclear cells covered by hairlike villi (hairy cells) in the bone marrow, spleen, liver, and peripheral blood.
A set of orbitals are said to be degenerate if they all have the same energy. This degeneracy can sometimes be lifted by external electric or magnetic fields.
verb (used without object), degenerated, degenerating. 1. to fall below a normal or desirable level in physical, mental, or moral qualities; deteriorate: The morale of the soldiers degenerated, and they were unable to fight. 2. to diminish in quality, especially from a former state of coherence, balance, integrity, etc.: The debate degenerated into an exchange of insults.