/ dɪˈbeɪs; NAmE / verb
[ vn ] to make sb/sth less valuable or respected
SYN devalue :
Sport is being debased by commercial sponsorship.
► de·base·ment noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense humiliate, belittle ): from de- down + the obsolete verb base (compare with abase ), expressing the notion bring down completely .