What is meant by the genetic code being degenerate?

The term "degenerate" in the context of the genetic code refers to the redundancy in how amino acids are specified by codons. Since there are 20 standard amino acids and 64 possible codons (combinations of three nucleotides), it follows that multiple codons can correspond to the same amino acid. This redundancy is beneficial because it provides a buffer against mutations; changes in the DNA sequence may not result in changes to the amino acid sequence of a protein. Therefore, even if a particular codon is mutated, the resulting change in RNA may still code for the same amino acid due to the presence of multiple codons that translate into it. This property of the genetic code enhances the overall robustness of protein synthesis within biological systems.