wither

/ˈwɪðər/

/ˈwɪðə/

Other forms: withered; withering; withers

Wither means to shrivel up or shrink. If you forget to water your plants for six weeks, they'll wither — they'll dry up and you probably won't be able to bring them back to life.

Wither comes from the Middle English word wydderen, meaning "dry up, shrivel." In addition to shrinking, the verb wither can also refer to losing vitality and fading away, like people who wither as they age. They slowly lose their physical stamina and grow feeble. People also start to physically shrink at a certain age. In that way, they wither in both senses. Not only do they wither by losing their youth, they also wither by shrinking.

Definitions of wither

1. verb

   lose freshness, vigor, or vitality
   synonyms: fade

   type of:

   disappear, go away, vanish

   get lost, as without warning or explanation
2. verb

   wither, as with a loss of moisture
   synonyms: shrink, shrivel, shrivel up

   types:

   atrophy

   undergo weakening or degeneration as through lack of use

   blast

   shrivel or wither or mature imperfectly

   die back, die down

   suffer from a disease that kills shoots

   dry up, mummify

   dry up and shrivel due to complete loss of moisture

   type of:

   decrease, diminish, fall, lessen

   decrease in size, extent, or range