recession

¹

[ ri-sesh-uhn ]

noun

1. the act of receding recede or withdrawing.
2. a receding recede part of a wall, building, etc.
3. a withdrawing procession, as at the end of a religious service.
4. Economics. a period of an economic contraction, sometimes limited in scope or duration. Compare depression ( def 7 ).

recession

²

[ ree-sesh-uhn ]

noun

1. a return of ownership to a former possessor.

recession

¹

/ riːˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of restoring possession to a former owner

recession

²

/ rɪˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. a temporary depression in economic activity or prosperity
2. the withdrawal of the clergy and choir in procession from the chancel at the conclusion of a church service
3. the act of receding
4. a part of a building, wall, etc, that recedes

recession

1. A general business slump, less severe than a depression .

Word History and Origins

Origin of recession¹

First recorded in 1640–50, recession is from the Latin word recessiōn- (stem of recessiō ). See recess, -ion

Origin of recession²

First recorded in 1885–90; re- + cession

Word History and Origins

Origin of recession¹

C19: from re- + cession

Origin of recession²

C17: from Latin recessio ; see recess

Example Sentences

The nation’s most painful sacrifices were absorbed by his Democratic predecessors—in Obama’s case, that was the agonizingly slow recovery from the Great Recession that began under George W. Bush, and in Biden’s it was the pandemic-era round of inflation that struck every single country on the planet.

From Slate

Previously a prosperous city, Coventry had been hit "particularly hard" by the recession, said Dr Nirmal Puwar, of Goldsmiths University in London.

From BBC

Mexico’s economy — driven almost exclusively by trade, with more than 80% of exports sent north of the border — is already on the brink of recession after years of sluggish growth, said Moreno-Brid.

From Los Angeles Times

In a sign of the times, one popular podcaster talking about the painful recession gripping Hollywood recently declared, “L.A. is a much-better-weather version of Detroit right now.”

From Los Angeles Times

Japan has slipped in and out of recession, while Europe is plagued by weak growth.

From Slate

Related Words

• bankruptcy
• collapse
• decline
• deflation
• downturn
• hard times
• inflation
• shakeout
• slide
• slump
• stagnation
• unemployment