Definition

1. Noun:
   • A decrease in the monetary value of an asset over time: This is the primary economic and accounting meaning, referring to the reduction in an asset's value due to wear and tear, age, or obsolescence.
   • A decline in the general price level or value of a currency: This refers to a reduction in the purchasing power or exchange rate of money.
   • The act of belittling or disparaging someone or something: This is a figurative use, meaning a representation that lowers the estimation or value of a person or thing.

Usage and Examples

• Accounting/Finance Context:

  • The company calculates annual depreciation for its vehicles. (The company determines the yearly loss in value of its vehicles.)
  • Accelerated depreciation methods can reduce taxable income in early years. (Faster methods of calculating value decrease can lower taxes owed initially.)

• Currency/Value Context:

  • The rapid depreciation of the currency caused inflation. (The fast decline in the money's value led to a general price increase.)
  • There has been a significant depreciation in house prices this quarter. (There has been a major drop in the value of houses this three-month period.)

• Figurative/Disparagement Context:

  • His constant depreciation of her achievements was demoralizing. (His continual belittling of her successes was discouraging.)
  • The article was a mean-spirited depreciation of the artist's entire career. (The article was a nasty belittling of the artist's whole life's work.)

Advanced Usage

• "Depreciation expense": In accounting, this is the portion of an asset's cost allocated as an expense in a specific period.
  • The depreciation expense is recorded on the income statement.
• "Currency depreciation": Specifically refers to a fall in the value of a country's currency relative to other currencies in a floating exchange rate system.
  • Currency depreciation can make a country's exports cheaper.
• "To speak in depreciation of": A formal phrase meaning to talk about someone or something in a belittling way.
  • He never spoke in depreciation of his colleagues.

Variants and Related Words

• Depreciate (verb): To fall in value over time; to belittle.
  • Cars depreciate quickly. (Cars lose value quickly.)
  • He tends to depreciate the efforts of others. (He tends to belittle the efforts of others.)
• Depreciable (adjective): Describing an asset eligible for depreciation accounting.
  • Land is not a depreciable asset.
• Depreciatory / Depreciative (adjectives): Tending to disparage or belittle.
  • She made a depreciatory remark about the food.

Synonyms

• Devaluation: A reduction in value, especially of a currency (closest synonym in economic contexts).
• Amortization: The process of writing off an intangible asset's cost over time (related accounting term).
• Disparagement: The act of speaking about someone or something in a belittling way (closest synonym in figurative contexts).
• Wear and tear: Physical deterioration leading to loss of value.

Antonyms

• Appreciation: An increase in monetary or perceived value.
• Compliment: An expression of praise or admiration (antonym of the disparagement sense).

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "To take depreciation into account": To consider the loss of value when making a calculation or decision.
  • When buying a new car, you must take depreciation into account.
• "Rate of depreciation": The speed or percentage at which something loses value.
  • The rate of depreciation for technology is very high.

Noun

1. a communication that belittles somebody or something
2. decrease in value of an asset due to obsolescence or use
3. a decrease in price or value
   • depreciation of the dollar against the yen