depreciate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb belittle
    vilipend; deprecate.
    • The teacher should not deprecate his student's efforts
  2. verb lower the value of something
    • The Fed depreciated the dollar once again
  3. verb lose in value
    devalue; devaluate; undervalue.
    • The dollar depreciated again

WordNet

De*pre"ci*ate transitive verb
Etymology
L. depretiatus, depreciatus, p. p. of depretiare, -ciare, to depreciate; de- + pretiare to prize, fr. pretium price. See Price.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Depreciated ; present participle & verbal noun Depreciating
Definitions
  1. 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 phoilosophers may look upon fastidiously, or undervalue and depreciate. Cudworth.
    To prove that the Americans ought not to be free, we are obliged to depreciate the value of freedom itself. Burke.
    Syn. -- To decry; disparage; traduce; lower; detract; underrate. See Decry.
De*pre"ci*ate intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. 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.

Webster 1913