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Depreciate: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Depreciate verb. To lose value over time.
How to say it
dih-PREE-shee-ayt/dɪˈpriːʃɪeɪt/
4 syllables, stressed on the second (PREE). Forms: depreciates.
Meanings
- To lose value over time.
- To belittle or play down the worth of something.
Depreciate in a sentence
A new car depreciates the moment you drive it off the forecourt.
Laptops depreciate faster than almost anything else in the office.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- lose value
- devalue
- decline
Opposite:
- appreciate
- rise
Usage note
Depreciate means fall in value, the opposite of appreciate; deprecate means disapprove of. Money depreciates; critics deprecate.
Don’t confuse with deprecate
deprecate (verb): To express disapproval of something.
Where depreciate comes from
From Latin depretiare, to lower the price, from pretium, price.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Laptops _____ faster than almost anything else in the office.
- proscribe
- militate
- depreciate
Show the answer
depreciate: Laptops depreciate faster than almost anything else in the office.