depression
Use Depression in a sentence
ən noun
1.
the act of depressing.
2.
the state of being depressed.
3.
a depressed or sunken place or part; an area lower than the surrounding surface.
4.
sadness; gloom; dejection.
5.
Psychiatry. a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason. Compare clinical depression.
6.
dullness or inactivity, as of trade.
7.
Economics. a period during which business, employment, and stock-market values decline severely or remain at a very low level of activity.
8.
the Depression, Great Depression.
9.
Pathology. a low state of vital powers or functional activity.
10.
Astronomy. the angular distance of a celestial body below the horizon; negative altitude.
11.
12.
Physical Geography. an area completely or mostly surrounded by higher land, ordinarily having interior drainage and not conforming to the valley of a single stream.
13.
Meteorology. an area of low atmospheric pressure.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Medieval Latin dēpressiōn- (stem of dēpressiō), Late Latin: a pressing down, equivalent to Latin dēpress(us) (see depress) + -iōn- -ion
1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Medieval Latin dēpressiōn- (stem of dēpressiō), Late Latin: a pressing down, equivalent to Latin dēpress(us) (see depress) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
an·ti·de·pres·sion, adjective, noun
min·i·de·pres·sion, noun
non·de·pres·sion, noun
post·de·pres·sion, adjective
pre·de·pres·sion, noun, adjective
Synonyms
4. discouragement, despondency.
4. discouragement, despondency.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Depression
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Depression
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
depression (dɪˈprɛʃən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the act of depressing or state of being depressed |
| 2. | a depressed or sunken place or area |
| 3. | a mental disorder characterized by extreme gloom, feelings of inadequacy, and inability to concentrate |
| 4. | pathol an abnormal lowering of the rate of any physiological activity or function, such as respiration |
| 5. | an economic condition characterized by substantial and protracted unemployment, low output and investment, etc; slump |
| 6. | meteorol cyclone, Also called: low a large body of rotating and rising air below normal atmospheric pressure, which often brings rain |
| 7. | Compare elevation (esp in surveying and astronomy) the angular distance of an object, celestial body, etc, below the horizontal plane through the point of observation |
| Depression (dɪˈprɛʃən) | |
| —n | |
| the Depression the Great Depression, Also known as: the Slump the worldwide economic depression of the early 1930s, when there was mass unemployment | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
depression
late 14c. as a term in astronomy, from L. depressionem, noun of action from deprimere "to press down, depress" (see depress). Attested from 1650s in the literal sense; meaning "dejection, depression of spirits" is from 1660s (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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
depression de·pres·sion (dĭ-prěsh'ən)
n.
The act of depressing or the state of being depressed.
A reduction in physiological vigor or activity.
A lowering in amount, degree, or position.
An inward displacement of a body part.
A hollow or sunken area.
The condition of feeling sad or despondent.
A psychotic or neurotic condition characterized by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, and feelings of extreme sadness, dejection, and hopelessness.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
depression (dĭ-prěsh'ən) Pronunciation Key
|
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
depression definition
A period of drastic decline in the national economy, characterized by decreasing business activity, falling prices, and unemployment. The best known of such periods is the Great Depression, which occurred in the 1930s.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Increasing costs of production and commerce in a time of economic near-depression is insane.
And whereas many measures of depression and sadness have been defined, a coherent description of happiness remains elusive.
The current global economic and financial meltdown may yet become something worse: a protracted global depression.
It was a stormy morning which served to add gloom and depression to their spirits.
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