— deprecatingly , adv. — deprecation , n. — deprecator , n.
/dep"ri kayt'/ , v.t., deprecated, deprecating .
1. to express earnest disapproval of.
2. to urge reasons against; protest against (a scheme, purpose, etc.).
3. to depreciate; belittle.
4. Archaic. to pray for deliverance from.
[ 1615-25; deprecatus prayed against, warded off (ptp. of deprecari ), equiv. to de- DE- + prec ( ari ) to PRAY + -atus -ATE 1 ]
Syn. 1. condemn, denounce, disparage. See decry .
Usage . An early and still the most current sense of DEPRECATE is "to express disapproval of." In a sense development still occasionally criticized by a few, DEPRECATE has come to be synonymous with the similar but etymologically unrelated word DEPRECIATE in the sense "belittle": The author modestly deprecated the importance of his work. In compounds with self-, DEPRECATE has almost totally replaced DEPRECIATE in modern usage: Her self-deprecating account of her career both amused and charmed the audience.