entropy \EN-treh-pi\ (noun) - 1 : The measure of energy unavailable for work in a closed system, generally taken to be the degree of systemic disorder; 2 : the tendency for all matter and energy in the universe to degenerate and become inert, inactive; 3 : the steady deterioration of any system.

"Fritz was wont to say, as he entered his 'golden' years, that he could feel the entropy of both matter and energy as the years escaped."

The adjective for today's word is "entropic" and the adverb, "entropically." "Entropy" is a lack of energy while "apathy" is a lack of interestmental entropy, if you will. Today's word is used mostly by scientists, especially physicists, who assign it very specific meanings. However, its basic sense is a loss of energy which leads to dissipation, degeneration or that state itself. The word "entropy" came to English via German "Entropie" from Greek en- "in" + Greek trope "turning, change" from trepein "to turn," the word also underlying the name of the beautiful flower, the heliotrope, from Greek helios "sun" and trope "turning," because it always turns to face the sun. "Tropos" came to Latin as tropus "figure of speech, song," whence it was borrowed into English (via French) as trope "a word of phrase chanted or sung in liturgies." While still in French, it also developed into troubadour "strolling minstrel."