depreciate, v.
(dɪˈpriːʃɪeɪt)
Also depretiate.
[f. L. dēpretiāt- (-ciāt-), ppl. stem of dēpretiāre (in med.L. commonly spelt dēpreciāre), f. de- I. 1 + pretium price. Cf. mod.F. déprécier (Dict. Acad. 1762).]
1. trans. To lower in value, lessen the value of.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iv. x. 205 A method..which much depreciates the esteeme and value of miracles. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 53 As these dioptrical Glasses, do heighten and illustrate the Works of Nature, so do they..disparage and depretiate those of Art. 1739 Cibber Apol. v. 102 Booth thought it depreciated the Dignity of Tragedy to raise a Smile. 1862 Fraser's Mag. Nov. 631 Our architectural reputation, never high, is still more depreciated by the building at South Kensington. |
b. spec. To lower the price or market value of; to reduce the purchasing power of (money).
| 1656 Blount Glossogr., Depretiate, to make the price less, to make cheaper. 1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade 358 That we shall..Depretiate our Silver Standard. 1782 Paine Let. Abbé Raynal (1791) 25 Every man depreciated his own money by his own consent. 1848 Mill Pol. Econ. iii. xiii, It is true that suspension of the obligation to pay in specie, did put it in the power of the Bank to depreciate the currency. 1893 Bithell Counting-House Dict. s.v. Depreciation, Bank Notes or State Notes are depreciated in value when issued against a small reserve of bullion. |
2. To lower in estimation; to represent as of less value; to underrate, undervalue, belittle.
| 1666 Boyle Orig. Formes & Qual. To Rdr., Where..I do indefinitely depretiate Aristotle's Doctrine, I would be understood to speak of his Physicks. 1704 Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 262 Alexander..began to extoll his own Actions, and to depritiate those of his Father Philip. 1769 Junius Lett. ii. 13 His bounty..this writer would in vain depreciate. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. ix, I don't like to hear you depreciate yourself. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 11 Pleasure [by Plato] is depreciated as relative, while good is exalted as absolute. |
| absol. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 93 ¶13 The duty of criticism is neither to depreciate nor dignify by partial representations. 1804 Man in Moon No. 24. 189 He depreciates from the merits of the very man he had praised before. 1882 A. W. Ward Dickens iii. 54 At the bottom lay a desire to depreciate. |
3. intr. To fall in value, to become of less worth.
| a 1790 Franklin Autobiog. (1889) 118 The wealthy inhabitants oppos'd..all paper currency, from an apprehension that it would depreciate. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 439 This breed of horses has much depreciated of late. 1858 De Quincey Wks. (1862) V. 62 Actually to have depreciated as he grew older and better known to the world. 1884 Manch. Exam. 8 May 5/3 Conditions which caused property to depreciate. |