Etymology dictionary

denude (v.) — deracialize (v.)

denude (v.)

early 15c. "strip or divest of all covering, lay bare" (implied in denuded), from Latin denudare "to lay bare, strip; uncover, expose," from de "away" (see de-) + nudare "to strip," from nudus "naked, bare" (see naked). In geology, "to wear away and remove surface matter, make bare the underlying rocks" (1845). Related: Denuding.

denudation (n.)

early 15c., denudacioun, "act of stripping off covering, a making bare," from Late Latin denudationem (nominative denudatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin denudare "to lay bare, strip; uncover, expose," from de "away" (see de-) + nudare "to strip," from nudus "naked, bare" (see naked). Figurative use is from 1590s. In geology, "erosion," from 1811.

denunciate (v.)

"denounce," 1590s, from Latin denunciatus, past participle of denunciare / denuntiare (see denounce). The same word as denounce, but directly from Latin. Not widely used except in its noun form, denunciation. Related: Denunciable; denunciated; denunciating.

denunciation (n.)

early 15c., denunciacioun, "act of declaring or stating something" (a sense now obsolete), from Latin denunciacionem / denuntiationem (nominative denuntiatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of denuntiare "to announce, proclaim; denounce, menace; command, order," from de "down" (see de-) + nuntiare "proclaim, announce," from nuntius "messenger" (from PIE root *neu- "to shout"). Meaning "a charge, a solemn or formal declaration accompanied by a menace" is mid-15c.

denunciatory (adj.)

"relating to or implying denunciation," 1700; see denunciation + -ory.

Denver

city in Colorado, U.S., founded 1858 as Auraria ("golden"), renamed 1859 for Gen. James W. Denver (1817-1892), governor of the territory. The family name is from the place of that name in Norfolk, literally "ford or passage used by the Danes," from Old English Dena (genitive plural) + fær "journey, road, passage, expedition," from strong neuter of faran "to journey" (see fare (v.)).

The Denver boot or shoe (1967), a wheel clamp for illegally parked vehicles, supposedly was invented 1953 by Frank Marugg, pattern-maker and violinist with the Denver Symphony Orchestra. He was a friend of politicians and police department officials, and the city sheriff's department came to him for help in making a device to immobilize vehicles whose owners didn't pay parking tickets.

deodand (n.)

formerly in English law, "a personal chattel which, having been the immediate cause of the death of a person, was forfeited to the Crown to be sold and the money applied to pious uses," 1520s, from Anglo-French deodande (late 13c.), from Medieval Latin deodandum, from Deo dandum "a thing to be given to God," from dative of deus "god" (from PIE root *dyeu- "to shine," in derivatives "sky, heaven, god") + neuter gerundive of dare "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give"). Abolished 1846.

deodorize (v.)

"deprive of odor or smell, remove any foul or noxious effluvia via chemical or other agency," 1848 (implied in deodorizing); see deodorant + -ize. Related: Deodorized; deodorizer (1849); deodorization.

deodorant (n.)

1848, "a deodorizer," originally of substances to quell the odor of manure, formed in English as if from de- + Latin odorantem, from odor "smell" (see odor (n.)). In reference to a substance to be used on the human body, from 1860. An earlier version, a perfumed powder, was called empasm (1650s), from Greek *empasma "to sprinkle on."

deontology (n.)

"science of moral duty, ethics," 1817, from Greek deont-, combining form of deon "that which is binding, duty" (neuter present participle of dei "is binding") + -ology. Said to have been coined by Bentham, but it is used in a wider sense than he intended it. Related: Deontological.

de-orbit (v.)

of a spacecraft, "to leave or move out of orbit," 1958, from de- + orbit. Related: De-orbited; de-orbiting.

Deo vindice

Latin, "(with) God (as our) defender," national motto of the Confederate States of America, from ablative of Deus "God" (see Zeus) + ablative of present participle of vindicare "to liberate; to act as avenger; protect, defend" (see vindication).

Deo volente

1767, Latin, "God willing," that is, "if nothing prevents it, if it is meant to be," a sort of verbal knock on wood, from ablative of Deus "God" (see Zeus) + ablative of volentem, present participle of velle "to wish, will" (see will (v.)). Often abbreviated D.V.

deoxy-

also desoxy-, word-forming element used to make chemical names for compounds which contain fewer oxygen atoms than other compounds, from de- + first two syllables of oxygen.

deoxidize (v.)

"deprive of oxygen," 1794; see de- + oxidize. Related: Deoxidized; deoxidizing; deoxidization. Early variants were deoxygenate (1799); deoxidate (1799).

deoxyribonucleic (n.)

1931, in deoxyribonucleic acid (originally desoxyribonucleic), a nucleic acid which yields deoxyribose on hydrolysis, from deoxyribose (q.v.) + nucleic acid (see nucleic). It is generally found in chromosomes of higher organisms and stores genetic information.

deoxyribose (n.)

also desoxyribose, 1931, from deoxy- (because the 2' hydroxyl (-OH) in the sugar is in this case reduced to a hydrogen (H) by loss of an oxygen) + ribose.

depart (v.)

mid-13c., departen, "part from each other, part company;" late 13c., "separate into parts," original senses now archaic or obsolete, from Old French departir (10c.) "to divide, distribute; separate (oneself), depart; die," from Late Latin departire "to divide" (transitive), from de- "from" (see de-) + partire "to part, divide," from pars (genitive partis) "a part, piece, a share, a division" (from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot").

From c. 1300 as "go or move away, withdraw;" late 14c. as "leave, quit." As a euphemism for "to die" (depart this life "leave the world;" compare Old French departir de cest siecle) it is attested from c. 1500, as is the departed for "the dead," singly or collectively. The original transitive lingered in some modern English usages; until 1662 the wedding service was till death us depart. Related: Departed; departing.

department (n.)

c. 1500, "a ceasing, an ending; a going away, act of leaving" (obsolete in this sense), from Old French departement "division, sharing out; divorce, parting" (12c.), from Late Latin departire "to divide" (transitive), from de- "from" (see de-) + partire "to part, divide," from pars (genitive partis) "a part, piece, a share, a division" (from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot").

French department came also to mean "group of people" (as well as "departure"), and from this by 1735 English had borrowed the sense of "separate division of a complex whole, separate business assigned to someone in a larger organization, distinct branch or group of activities" (science, business, manufacture, the military). The specific meaning "separate division of a government" is from 1769. As an administrative district in France, from 1792.

Department store "store that sells a variety of items, organized by department" is from 1878.

departmental (adj.)

1791, "pertaining to a (French) department, pertaining to a division of a country," from French départmental, from département (see department). Meaning "of departmental systems generally" from 1832. Related: Departmentally.

departure (n.)

mid-15c., "act of going away," also "deviation, divergence, a turning away," from Old French departeure "departure," figuratively, "death, act or fact of leaving the present life," from departir (see depart) + -ure (see -ure).

depeche (n.)

"a dispatch," 1520s, from French dépêche (15c.), from dépêcher "to dispatch," from Old French despeechier, from des- (see des-) + stem of empeechier "to hinder" (see impeach). Not directly related to dispatch. Sometimes nativized as depeach.

depend (v.)

mid-15c., "to be attached to as a condition or cause, be a conditional effect or result," a figurative use, also literal, "to hang, be sustained by being attached to something above;" from Old French dependre, literally "to hang from, hang down," and directly from Latin dependere "to hang from, hang down; be dependent on, be derived," from de "from, down" (see de-) + pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin").

From c. 1500 as "to rely, rest in full confidence or belief;" from 1540s as "be sustained by, be dependent (on)." Related: Depended; depending.

dependence (n.)

early 15c., dependaunce, "consequence, result, relation of a conclusion to a premise or an effect to a cause," from Old French dépendance (from dependre; see depend) and from Medieval Latin dependentia. Originally also dependance (which is the older of the two modern spellings), depending whether the writer had French or Latin foremost in mind; the Latin form gradually predominated, and after c. 1800 the spelling dependance is rare. For discussion, see dependant (n.).

From mid-15c. as "state of deriving existence, support, or direction from another." From 1620s as "reliance, confidence, trust." Literal meaning "fact of hanging from something" (1690s) was rare and is obsolete.

dependance (n.)

early variant of dependence (q.v.); rare since c. 1800; see -ance.

dependants (n.)

"those who depend on or look to another for support or favor," 1580s, see dependant.

dependant (adj.)

variant spelling of dependent (q.v.). For spelling differentiation, see dependant (n.); also see -ance.

dependancy (n.)

early variant of dependency (q.v.); rare since c. 1800; see -ance.

dependency (n.)

1590s, "condition of being logically dependent; relation of a thing or person to that by which it is supported;" 1610s, "that which depends for its existence upon something else;" see dependent + -cy. Originally also dependancy, on the French model, but the Latinate form gradually pushed this into disuse; see -ance and compare dependant (n.). Meaning "territory subordinate to another nation" is recorded from 1680s.

dependent (adj.)

also dependant, late 14c., "relying for existence on;" early 15c. as "contingent, related to some condition;" from Old French dependant, present-participle adjective from dependre "to hang down," from Latin dependere "to hang from, hang down; be dependent on, be derived," from de "from, down" (see de-) + pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin").

For spelling, see dependant (n.). In some cases the English word is directly from Latin dependentem (nominative dependens), present participle of dependere. From early 15c. in the literal sense of "hanging down, pendent." From 1640s as "subordinate, under the control of or needing aid from an extraneous source." Dependent variable in mathematics is recorded from 1852.

dependant (n.)

early 15c., originally in law, "action growing out of another action," from the adjective (see dependent) or from noun use of the adjective in French. It is attested from 1580s as "one who depends on or looks to another for support or favor."

As with its relative, dependence, it co-existed with the Latin-influenced variant (in this case dependent, from Latin dependere) through 18c., but with this word the French spelling (dpendant for both adjective and noun) has proven more durable in English, possibly because it has been found convenient to keep both, one (dependant) for the noun, the other (dependent) for the adjective.

But Century Dictionary (1897) places all senses under dependent, and writes:

dependable (adj.)

"capable or worthy of being depended upon, trustworthy," 1735, from depend + -able. Related: Dependability; dependably; dependableness.

dependencies (n.)

"territories subordinate to another nation," 1680s; see dependency.

dependent (n.)

see dependant (n.). Related: Dependents.

depersonalization (n.)

also depersonalisation, "loss of personality, a treating as though not having a personal identity," 1893, noun of action from depersonalize "regard as not individually personal;" see de- "do the opposite of" + personalize. Related: Depersonalized; depersonalizing.

dephlogisticate (v.)

"deprive of phlogiston," the formerly supposed principle of inflammability, 1775; see de- + phlogiston + -ate (2). Related: Dephlogisticated; dephlogisticating; dephlogistication.

depict (v.)

early 15c., "portray, paint, form a likeness of in color," from Latin depictus, past participle of depingere "to portray, paint, sketch; describe, imagine," from de "down" (see de-) + pingere "to paint" (see paint (v.)). Extended sense of "portray in words, describe" is from mid-15c. Related: Depicted; depicting.

depiction (n.)

"act of portraying; a portrayal, a likeness," 1680s, from French depiction, from Late Latin depictionem (nominative depictio) "painting, description," noun of action from Latin depictus, past participle of depingere "to portray, paint, sketch; describe, imagine," from de "down" (see de-) + pingere "to paint" (see paint (v.)).

depilation (n.)

early 15c., depilacioun, "loss of hair;" 1540s, "act or process of removing hair from the skin or a hide;" from Modern Latin depilationem, noun of action from past-participle stem of Late Latin depilare "pull out the hair, pluck out the feathers," from de- "completely" (see de-) + pilatus, past participle of Latin pilare "deprive of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)).

depilate (v.)

"to strip of hair, remove the hair from," 1550s, a back-formation from depilation (q.v.), or else from Latin depilatus "having one's hair plucked." The earlier verb was depile (early 15c.). Related: Depilated; depilating.

depilatory (adj.)

c. 1600, "having the property of removing hair from the skin," from French dépilatorie (adj.), from Latin depilatus "having one's hair plucked," from de- "completely" (see de-) + pilatus, past participle of pilare "deprive of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). Earlier in same sense was Depilative. As a noun, "application used to remove hair without injuring the skin," from c. 1600, from French dépilatorie (n.).

deplane (v.)

"to leave an airplane after it lands," 1923; see de- + plane (n.2). Related: Deplaning.

deplatform (v.)

also de-platform, "attempt to block public expression of information or opinions deemed unacceptable or offensive," by 2017, but the thing itself is older, and no platform is said to have been a British student term from 1970s; see de- + platform (n.). Related: Deplatforming.

depletion (n.)

"act of emptying or reducing," 1650s, from Late Latin depletionem (nominative depletio) "blood-letting," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin deplere "to empty," literally "to un-fill," from de "off, away" (see de-) + plere "to fill" (from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill").

deplete (v.)

"empty, reduce, or exhaust by drawing away," 1807, originally in medicine (of blood-letting, purgatives), back-formation from depletion, which is from Latin deplere "to empty," literally "to un-fill," from de "off, away" (see de-) + plere "to fill" (from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill"). General sense by 1859. Related: Depleted; depleting.

depletive (adj.)

"tending to deplete; characterized by depleting," 1799; see deplete + -ive. Related: Depletively; depletiveness.

deploy (v.)

1786 as a military word, "extend (troops) in a line, expand (a unit which had been formed in columns)," from French déployer "unroll, unfold," from Old French desploiier "unfold," from Latin displicare "unfold, scatter," from dis- (see dis-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait"). "In its AFr. form regularly adopted in ME as desplay" [OED]. Figurative use by 1829. Intransitive sense from 1796. Related: Deployed; deploying.

deplorable (adj.)

1610s, "that may or must be deplored, lamentable, grievous, miserable;" from 1640s as "pitiable, wretched, contemptible," 1610s, from -able + deplore (v.) "lament, bewail, give up as hopeless," from French déplorer (13c.), from Latin deplorare "bewail, lament, give up for lost," from de- "entirely" (see de-) + plorare "weep, cry out," which is of unknown origin.

Perhaps from or inspired by French déplorable or directly from Late Latin deplorabilis. "It is sometimes, in a more lax and jocular sense, used for contemptible; despicable: as deplorable nonsense; deplorable stupidity" [Johnson, 1755]. Related: Deplorably; deplorableness; deplorability.

As a noun it is attested from 1830 as "deplorable ills." Deplorables was used politically in reference to the ministry of Charles X of France in the 1820s (le ministère déplorable). Rare in 19c.-20c.; in U.S. it got a boost 2016 when used by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in reference to supporters of her rival, Donald Trump, some of whom embraced it as a despite-word.

deplore (v.)

1550s, "to give up as hopeless, despair of," a sense now obsolete, from French déplorer (13c.), from Latin deplorare "deplore, bewail, lament, give up for lost," from de- "entirely" (see de-) + plorare "weep, cry out," which is of unknown origin. Meaning "to regret deeply" is from 1560s. Related: Deplored; deploring.

deployment (n.)

"act of deploying," 1796, from French déploiement, noun of action from déployer (see deploy).

depolarization (n.)

also depolarisation, "act of depriving of polarity or removing the effects of polarization," 1814; see de- + polarization. Perhaps an agent noun to depolarize "deprive of polarity," which is attested from 1813 (implied in depolarized), originally in optics.

depoliticize (v.)

also depoliticise, "deprive of a political nature or quality," 1922, from de- + politicize. Related: Depoliticized; depoliticizing.

deponent (adj.)

mid-15c., originally in Latin grammar (of verbs passive in form but active in sense), from Latin deponentem "putting down or aside," present participle of deponere "lay aside, put down, deposit," also used of births and bets, from de "away" (see de-) + ponere "to put, place" (see position (n.)). As a noun, "a deponent verb," 1520s; as "one who makes a deposition," especially under oath, from 1540s.

depopulate (v.)

"deprive of inhabitants," 1540s; see de- + populate. Perhaps from Latin depopulatus, past participle of depopulari "to lay waste, ravage." Related: Depopulated; depopulating. Earlier in same sense was dispeplen (early 15c.).

depopulation (n.)

early 15c., depopulacioun, "ravaging, pillaging, destruction," possibly also "destruction or expulsion of inhabitants," from Old French depopulacion and directly from Latin depopulationem (nominative depopulatio) "a laying waste, marauding, pillaging;" see de- + population.

deport (v.1)

late 15c., "to behave," from Old French deporter "behave, deport (oneself)" (12c.), which also had a wide range of secondary meanings, such as "be patient; take one's (sexual) pleasure with; amuse, entertain; remain, delay, tarry; cheer, console, treat kindly; put aside, cast off, send away," from de "from, off" (see de-) + porter "to carry," from Latin portare "to carry," from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." Related: Deported; deporting.

deportation (n.)

"a carrying away from one country to another or to a distant place," 1590s, from French déportation, from Latin deporationem (nominative deportatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of deportare "carry off, transport, banish, exile," from de "off, away" (see de-) + portare "to carry," from PIE *prto-, suffixed form of root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over."

deportment (n.)

"manner of acting toward or before others," c. 1600, from French déportement, from déporter "to behave," from Old French deporter (see deport (v.1)).

deport (v.2)

"banish, transport or carry off from one country to another, especially forcibly," 1640s, from French déporter, from Latin deportare "carry off, transport, banish, exile," from de "off, away" (see de-) + portare "to carry," from PIE *prto-, suffixed form of root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." Associated by folk etymology with portus "harbor." Related: Deported; deporting.

deportee (n.)

"one who is or has been deported," 1853; see deport (v.2) + -ee.

depose (v.)

c. 1300, "to remove from office, especially from royalty," from Old French deposer (12c.), from de- "down" (see de-) + poser "put, place" (see pose (v.1)). Meaning "testify to, attest," especially "give testimony on oath" is from early 15c.; sense of "take testimony from or examine under oath" is from 1560s. Literal sense of "lay down, let fall" (early 15c.) is obsolete. Related: Deposed; deposing.

deposit (v.)

1620s, "place in the hands of another as a pledge for a contract," from Latin depositus, past participle of deponere "lay aside, put down, deposit," also used of births and bets, from de "away" (see de-) + ponere "to put, place" (past participle positus; see position (n.)). From 1650s as "lay away for safe-keeping;" from 1749 as "lay down, place, put." Related: Deposited; depositing.

deposition (n.)

late 14c., deposicion, "dethronement, a putting down of a person from dignity, office, or authority," from Old French deposicion (12c.), from Latin depositionem (nominative depositio), noun of action from past-participle stem of deponere "to lay aside" (see deposit (v.)).

Meaning "a statement or statements made in court under oath" is from early 15c. Meaning "action of depositing" is from 1590s. Properly, deposition belongs to deposit, but deposit and depose have become inextricably confused and English deposition partakes of senses belonging to both.

deposit (n.)

1620s, "state of being placed in safe-keeping," from Latin depositum, from deponere (see deposit (v.)). From 1660s as "that which is laid or thrown down." Geological sense is from 1781; financial sense "money lodged in a bank for safety or convenience" is from 1737. Middle English had depost "thing entrusted for safe-keeping" (late 14c.).

depositor (n.)

1560s, "one who deposes" (obsolete in this sense); 1620s, "one who makes a deposit, one who places something in charge of another," agent noun in Latin form from deposit (v.).

depository (n.)

"place where things are lodged for safe-keeping," 1750, from Medieval Latin depositorium, from deposit-, past-participle stem of Latin deponere (see deposit (v.)) + -orium (see -ory).

depot (n.)

1795, "warehouse or storehouse for receiving goods for storage, sale, or transfer," from French dépôt "a deposit, place of deposit," from Old French depost "a deposit or pledge," from Latin depositum "a deposit," noun use of neuter past participle of deponere "lay aside, put down," from de "away" (see de-) + ponere "to put, place" (past participle positus; see position (n.)).

Military sense of "fort where stores, ammunition, etc. are deposited" is from 1798; meaning "railway station, building for accommodation and shelter of passengers and the receipt and transfer of freight" is attested by 1842, American English.

depravity (n.)

"state of being depraved, corruption, degeneracy," 1640s; see deprave + -ity. Earlier in same sense was pravity. In theology, "hereditary tendency of humanity to commit sin" (1757).

deprave (v.)

late 14c., depraven, "corrupt, lead astray, pervert," from Old French depraver "to pervert; accuse" (14c.) and directly from Latin depravare "distort, disfigure;" figuratively "to pervert, seduce, corrupt," from de- "completely" (see de-) + pravus "crooked," which is of unknown etymology. Related: Depraved; depraving.

depravation (n.)

1560s, "act of becoming bad or worse;" 1570s, "depraved or corrupt quality or character," from Latin depravationem (nominative depravatio) "a perverting, distorting, corrupting," noun of action from past-participle stem of depravare "distort, disfigure; pervert, seduce, corrupt" (see deprave).

deprecation (n.)

c. 1500, deprecacioun, "prayer to avert evil, earnest desire for exemption or deliverance," from Old French deprecation and directly from Latin deprecationem (nominative deprecatio) "a warding off or averting by prayer," noun of action from past-participle stem of deprecari "plead in excuse; avert by prayer," literally "to pray (something) away," from de "away" (see de-) + precari "to pray" (from PIE root *prek- "to ask, entreat"). Sense of "disapproval, earnest expression of feeling against" is by 1610s.

deprecate (v.)

1620s, "to pray against or for deliverance from, pray the removal or deliverance from," from Latin deprecatus, past participle of deprecari "to pray (something) away," from de "away" (see de-) + precari "to pray" (from PIE root *prek- "to ask, entreat"). Meaning "to express disapproval, urge against" is from 1640s. Related: Deprecated, deprecating.

deprecative (adj.)

mid-15c., "praying for deliverance from evil," from Old French deprecatif (13c.) and directly from Late Latin deprecativus, from deprecat-, past-participle stem of Latin deprecari "plead in excuse, avert by prayer," literally "to pray (something) away," from de "away" (see de-) + precari "to pray" (from PIE root *prek- "to ask, entreat"). Related: Deprecatively.

deprecatory (adj.)

"serving or intended to avert some threatened evil or action," 1580s, from Late Latin deprecatorius, from deprecat-, past-participle stem of deprecari "plead in excuse, avert by prayer," literally "to pray (something) away," from de "away" (see de-) + precari "to pray" (from PIE root *prek- "to ask, entreat").

depreciate (v.)

mid-15c., "to undervalue, under-rate," from Latin depretiatus, past participle of depretiare "to lower the price of, undervalue," from de "down" (see de-) + pretium "price" (see price (n.)). From 1640s in transitive sense of "lessen the value of, to lower in value." Intransitive sense of "to fall in value, become of less worth" is from 1790. Related: Depreciated; depreciating.

depreciation (n.)

1767, "a lowering of value" (originally of currency), noun of action from depreciate. Sense of "a belittling, deliberate underestimation of the merits of a person, action, or thing" is from 1790. Meaning "loss of value of a durable good by age or wear" is from 1900.

depreciative (adj.)

"tending to undervalue," 1816; see depreciate + -ive. Related: Depreciatively.

depreciatory (adj.)

"tending to undervalue or lower in value," 1755 (depretiatory); see depreciate + -ory.

depredation (n.)

"act of plundering, pillaging," late 15c. (Caxton), from Old French depredacion (15c., Modern French déprédation), from Late Latin depraedationem (nominative depraedatio) "a plundering," from past-participle stem of Latin depraedari "to pillage," from de- "thoroughly" (see de-) + praedari "to plunder," literally "to make prey of," from praeda "prey" (see prey (n.)).

depredate (v.)

1620s, "consume by waste;" 1650s, "consume by pillage or plunder," from Latin depredatus, past participle of depraedare "to pillage, ravage," from de- "thoroughly" (see de-) + praedari "to plunder," literally "to make prey of," from praeda "prey" (see prey (n.)).

depress (v.)

late 14c., "put down by force, conquer," a sense now obsolete, from Old French depresser "to press down, lower," from Late Latin depressare, frequentative of Latin deprimere "press down," from de "down" (see de-) + premere "to press, hold fast, cover, crowd, compress" (from PIE root *per- (4) "to strike").

Meaning "push down physically, press or move downward" is from early 15c.; that of "deject, make gloomy, lower in feeling" is from 1620s; economic sense of "lower in value" is from 1878.

depressed (adj.)

c. 1600, "pressed down, lowered," past-participle adjective from depress (v.). Meaning "dejected, lowered in spirits" is from 1620s.

depressant (n.)

"a sedative," 1876; see depress + -ant. From 1887 as an adjective, "having the quality of depressing."

depression (n.)

c. 1400 as a term in astronomy, "angular distance of a star below the horizon," from Old French depression (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin depressionem (nominative depressio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin deprimere "to press down, depress" (see depress).

The literal sense "act of pressing down, state of being pressed down" is attested from 1650s. The meaning "dejection, state of sadness, a sinking of the spirits" is from early 15c. (as a clinical term in psychology, from 1905); meteorological sense is from 1881 (in reference to barometric pressure); meaning "a lowering or reduction in economic activity" was in use by 1826; given a specific application (with capital D-) by 1934 to the one that began worldwide in 1929. For "melancholy, depression" an Old English word was grevoushede.

depressive (adj.)

"able or tending to depress," 1610s, from Latin depress-, past-participle stem of deprimere (see depress) + -ive. In psychology, from 1905. Related: Depressiveness.

depressing (adj.)

"having the quality of lowering the spirits, dispiriting," 1789, present-participle adjective from depress (v.). Related: Depressingly.

depressor (n.)

"one who or that which depresses or pushes down," 1610s, from Latin depressor, agent noun from deprimere "to press down, depress" (see depress). By 1874 as "surgical instrument for pressing down a part of the body."

depressurize (v.)

"cause a drop in the pressure of a gas in a certain space," 1944; see de- + pressurize. Related: Depressurized; depressurizing; depressurization.

deprive (v.)

mid-14c., depriven, "to take away; to divest, strip, bereave; divest of office," from Old French depriver, from Medieval Latin deprivare, from de- "entirely" (see de-) + Latin privare "to deprive, rob, strip" of anything; "to deliver from" anything (see private (adj.) ). From late 14c. as "hinder from possessing." Replaced Old English bedælan. Related: Deprived; depriving.

deprived (adj.)

1550s, "dispossessed," past-participle adjective from deprive. As a euphemism for the condition of children who lack a stable home life, by 1945.

deprivation (n.)

mid-15c., "removal from ecclesiastical office, rank, or position," from Medieval Latin deprivationem (nominative deprivatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of deprivare, from de- "entirely" (see de-) + Latin privare "to deprive, rob, strip" of anything; "to deliver from" anything (see private (adj.)). From 1530s as "act of depriving, a taking away." By 1889 as "state of being deprived."

De Profundis

"the 130th Psalm" (one of the seven penitential psalms), so called for its opening words in Latin, literally "out of the depths (have I cried)." From ablative plural of profundum (see profound).

deprogram (v.)

also deprogramme, "release from cult brainwashing," 1973, from de- + program (v.). Related: Deprogrammed; deprogramming.

dept.

abbreviation of department, attested from 1869.

depth (n.)

late 14c., "a deep place, deep water, the sea," also "distance or extension from the top down (opposed to height) or from without inward," apparently formed in Middle English on model of long/length, broad/breadth; from dēp "deep" (see deep (adj.)) + -th (2). Replaced older deopnes "deepness." Though the word is not recorded in Old English, the formation was in Proto-Germanic, *deupitho-, and corresponds to Old Saxon diupitha, Dutch diepte, Old Norse dypð, Gothic diupiþa.

From c. 1400 as "the part of anything most remote from the boundary or outer limit." From 1520s as "quality of extending a considerable distance downward or inward." Figurative use in reference to thought, ideas, etc., "profoundness," from 1580s.

deputation (n.)

late 14c., deputacioun, "appointment or authority to represent or act for another or others," noun of action from depute (v.). From 1732 as "person or persons authorized to represent or act for others."

depute (v.)

mid-14c., deputen, "to appoint, assign as a substitute or agent," from Old French deputer (14c.), from Late Latin deputare "destine, allot," in classical Latin "to esteem, consider, consider as," literally "to cut off, prune," from de- "away" (see de-) + putare "to think, count, consider," literally "to cut, prune," from PIE root *pau- (2) "to cut, strike, stamp." Meaning "assign to a deputy" is from early 15c. Related: Deputed; deputing.

deputize (v.)

"appoint as a deputy," 1730; see deputy + -ize. Related: Deputized; deputizing.

deputy (n.)

c. 1400, "subordinate officer, one given the full power of an officer without holding the office," from Anglo-French deputé, noun use of past-participle of Old French députer "appoint, assign" (14c.), from Late Latin deputare "to destine, allot," in classical Latin "to esteem, consider, consider as," literally "to cut off, prune," from de- "away" (see de-) + putare "to think, count, consider," literally "to cut, prune," from PIE root *pau- (2) "to cut, strike, stamp."

Meaning "person appointed or elected to act in the place of another or others" is from 1769.

*der-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to split, flay, peel," with derivatives referring to skin and leather.

It forms all or part of: derm; -derm; derma; dermal; dermato-; dermatology; echinoderm; epidermis; hypodermic; pachyderm; scleroderma; taxidermy; tart (adj.) "having a sharp taste;" tear (v.1) "pull apart;" tetter; turd.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit drnati "cleaves, bursts;" Greek derein "to flay;" Armenian terem "I flay;" Old Church Slavonic dera "to burst asunder;" Breton darn "piece;" Old English teran "to tear, lacerate."

deracialize (v.)

also deracialise, 1899, "remove the racial character or features from;" see de- + racial + -ize. Related: Deracialized; deracializing; deracialization.