/ dɪˈpriːʃieɪt; NAmE / verb
1.
[ v ] to become less valuable over a period of time :
New cars start to depreciate as soon as they are on the road.
Shares continued to depreciate on the stock markets today.
OPP appreciate
2.
[ vn ] ( business ) to reduce the value, as stated in the company's accounts, of a particular asset over a particular period of time :
The bank depreciates PCs over a period of five years.
3.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to make sth seem unimportant or of no value :
I had no intention of depreciating your contribution.
► de·pre·ci·ation / dɪˌpriːʃiˈeɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]:
currency depreciation
the depreciation of fixed assets
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in sense 2): from late Latin depreciat- lowered in price, undervalued, from the verb depreciare , from Latin de- down + pretium price.