‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. nekro`s dead + &unr_; way of life, fr. &unr_; life. ] (Biol. & Med.) The death of a part of an organism by molecular disintegration and without loss of continuity, as in the processes of degeneration and atrophy; a normal dying out of cells in a tissue, in contrast to necrosis. Virchow. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]