deprave

[ dih-preyv ]

verb (used with object)

, de·praved, de·prav·ing.

1. to make morally bad or evil; vitiate; corrupt.
2. Obsolete. to defame.

deprave

/ ˌdɛprəˈveɪʃən; dɪˈpreɪv /

verb

1. to make morally bad; corrupt; vitiate
2. obsolete.
   to defame; slander

Derived Forms

• depravation, noun
• deˈpraver, noun

Other Words From

• dep·ra·va·tion [dep-r, uh, -, vey, -sh, uh, n], noun
• de·praver noun
• de·praving·ly adverb
• nondep·ra·vation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of deprave¹

1325–75; Middle English depraven (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dēprāvāre to pervert, corrupt, equivalent to dē- de- + prāv ( us ) crooked + -āre infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of deprave¹

C14: from Latin dēprāvāre to distort, corrupt, from de- + prāvus crooked