depreciate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to reduce the purchasing value of (money).
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to lessen the value or price of.
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to claim depreciation on (a property) for tax purposes.
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to represent as of little value or merit; belittle.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to reduce or decline in value or price
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(tr) to lessen the value of by derision, criticism, etc; disparage
Commonly Confused
See deprecate
Other Word Forms
- depreciatingly adverb
- depreciator noun
- depreciatory adjective
- nondepreciating adjective
- predepreciate verb
- redepreciate verb
- undepreciated adjective
- underdepreciate verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of depreciate
First recorded in 1640–50; from Late Latin dēpretiātus “undervalued” (past participle of dēpretiāre; in Medieval Latin spelling dēpreciāre ), equivalent to Latin dē- “away from, out of” + preti(um) “price” + -ātus past participle suffix; de-, price, -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That strategy meant significant upfront costs and, now, depreciating assets.
From Barron's
Big tech companies for years have drawn investor scrutiny when they have extended the useful lives for the assets they are depreciating.
The central bank is also unlikely to hold off on cuts to support the rupee, which has been depreciating against the U.S. dollar, said Shilan Shah of Capital Economics.
The yen has depreciated against almost every major currency this year.
From MarketWatch
Allegations of a purposefully cheapened offshore yuan as a controlled currency are misguided and ignore key facts, he says, adding that the PBOC’s price guidance has been predominantly to appreciate, not depreciate the yuan.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
