Standard Lemma guide

depreciation

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪˌpɹiːʃɪˈeɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 P R IY2 SH IY0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being depreciated; disparagement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The decline in value of assets.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • asset depreciation
  • currency depreciation
  • The accountant calculated the annual depreciation of the machinery.
  • There was a sharp depreciation in the value of the currency.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The measurement of the decline in value of assets. Not to be confused with impairment, which is the measurement of the unplanned, extraordinary decline in value of assets.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: accounting, business, finance

Examples

  • annual depreciation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a decrease in price or value

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • depreciation of the dollar against the yen

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: appreciation

Broader terms: decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down

5

noun

Meaning 5

a communication that belittles somebody or something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disparagement, derogation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disrespect, discourtesy

Narrower terms: cold water, denigration, belittling, aspersion, slur, detraction, petty criticism, sour grapes, condescension, disdain, patronage, defamation, calumny, calumniation, obloquy, traducement, hatchet job

6

noun

Meaning 6

decrease in value of an asset due to obsolescence or use

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wear and tear

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: non-cash expense, financial loss

Narrower terms: straight-line method, straight-line method of depreciation, write-off, write-down

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin de- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *-ti ? Proto-Indo-European *próti Proto-Italic *pretjom Latin pretium Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Late Latin dēpretiārebor. French déprécier Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ation Middle French -ation French -ation French dépréciationbor. English depreciation Borrowed from French dépréciation.

Across languages

Translations

60 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: dépréciation — state
  • Hungarian: leértékelés — state
  • Hungarian: ócsárlás — state
  • Hungarian: becsmérlés — state
  • Hungarian: leszólás — state
  • Hungarian: lekicsinylés — state
  • Italian: ammortamento — state
  • Macedonian: обезвреднетост (obezvrednetost) — state
  • Sicilian: ammurtamentu — state
  • Armenian: արժեզրկում (aržezrkum) — the decline in value of assets
  • Bulgarian: обезценяване (obezcenjavane) — the decline in value of assets
  • Catalan: depreciació — the decline in value of assets
  • Chinese Mandarin: 折舊 /折旧 (zhéjiù) — the decline in value of assets
  • Dutch: depreciatie — the decline in value of assets
  • Finnish: arvon aleneminen — the decline in value of assets
  • Finnish: arvonalennus — the decline in value of assets
  • Finnish: arvonvähennys — the decline in value of assets
  • Finnish: arvon lasku — the decline in value of assets
  • Finnish: arvon väheneminen — the decline in value of assets
  • French: dépréciation — the decline in value of assets
  • Georgian: გაუფასურება (gaupasureba) — the decline in value of assets
  • Georgian: ღირებულების დაცემა (ɣirebulebis dacema) — the decline in value of assets
  • Georgian: ღირებულების დაკლება (ɣirebulebis daḳleba) — the decline in value of assets
  • Hindi: अवक्षयण (avakṣayaṇ) — the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: elértéktelenedés — the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: devalválódás — the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: elértéktelenítés — the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: devalválás — the decline in value of assets
  • Irish: dímheas — the decline in value of assets
  • Italian: ammortamento — the decline in value of assets
  • Japanese: 減価償却 (genka shōkyaku) — the decline in value of assets
  • Korean: 감가상각 (gamgasanggak) — the decline in value of assets
  • Macedonian: обезвреднување (obezvrednuvanje) — the decline in value of assets
  • Māori: hekenga wāriu — the decline in value of assets
  • Polish: amortyzacja — the decline in value of assets
  • Romanian: depreciere — the decline in value of assets
  • Russian: амортиза́ция (amortizácija) — the decline in value of assets
  • Russian: обесце́нивание (obescénivanije) — the decline in value of assets
  • Sicilian: ammurtamentu — the decline in value of assets
  • Swedish: värdeminskning — the decline in value of assets
  • Tagalog: depresasyon — the decline in value of assets
  • Bulgarian: обезценка (obezcenka) — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Bulgarian: амортизация (amortizacija) — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Catalan: depreciació — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Danish: afskrivning — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Dutch: depreciatie — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Finnish: poisto — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Greek: απόσβεση (apósvesi) — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Hindi: अवक्षयण (avakṣayaṇ) — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: értékcsökkenés — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: amortizáció — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: amortizálódás — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Hungarian: értékcsökkenési leírás — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Indonesian: depresiasi — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Indonesian: penyusutan — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Italian: ammortamento — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Korean: 감가상각 (gamgasanggak) — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Malay: susut nilai — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Sicilian: ammurtamentu — the measurement of the decline in value of assets
  • Swedish: avskrivning — the measurement of the decline in value of assets