Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Depreciate

De-pre′ci-ate

(dē̍-prē′shĭ-āt)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Depreciated
(dē̍-prē′shĭ-āˊtĕd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Depreciating
(dē̍-prē′shĭ-āˊtĭng)
.]
[L.
depretiatus
,
depreciatus
, p. p. of
depretiare
,
-ciare
, to depreciate;
de-
+
pretiare
to prize, fr.
pretium
price. See
Price
.]
To lessen in price or estimated value; to lower the worth of; to represent as of little value or claim to esteem; to undervalue.
Addison.
Which . . . some over-severe philosophers may look upon fastidiously, or undervalue and
depreciate
.
Cudworth.
Syn. – To decry; disparage; traduce; lower; detract; underrate. See
Decry
.

De-pre′ci-ate

,
Verb.
I.
To fall in value; to become of less worth; to sink in estimation;
as, a paper currency will
depreciate
, unless it is convertible into specie
.

Definition 2024


depreciate

depreciate

English

Verb

depreciate (third-person singular simple present depreciates, present participle depreciating, simple past and past participle depreciated)

  1. (transitive) To lessen in price or estimated value; to lower the worth of; to represent as of little value or claim to esteem; to undervalue.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Cudworth
      [] which [] some over-severe philosophers may look upon fastidiously, or undervalue and depreciate.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Burke
      To prove that the Americans ought not to be free, we are obliged to depreciate the value of freedom itself.
  2. (intransitive) To decline in value over time.
  3. (transitive) To belittle.

Usage notes

  • Do not confuse with deprecate, which means 'to disapprove of'. The meaning of deprecate has lately been encroaching on depreciate in the sense 'to belittle'.

Synonyms

  • (reduce in value over time):
  • (belittle): do down

Antonyms

Translations