Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "lalacewa" shine yanayin lalacewa ko lalacewa saboda rashin kulawa, shekaru, ko rashin kulawa. Hakanan yana iya komawa ga aikin haifar da wani abu ya fada cikin yanayin lalacewa ko lalacewa. Ana amfani da kalmar sau da yawa don bayyana yanayin gine-gine, gine-gine, ko wasu abubuwa na zahiri waɗanda ke cikin yanayin lalacewa.
