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deflation - 6 dictionary results
Ugly Inflation Is Coming
 These 7 Deadly Ingredients Could Wipe Out The Economy – Report
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de⋅fla⋅tion

  [di-fley-shuhn]
Use deflation in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act of deflating or the state of being deflated.
2. Economics. a fall in the general price level or a contraction of credit and available money (opposed to inflation ). Compare disinflation.
3. the erosion of sand, soil, etc., by the action of the wind.
Origin:
1890–95; deflate + -ion

Related forms:
de⋅fla⋅tion⋅ar⋅y, adjective
de⋅fla⋅tion⋅ism, noun
de⋅fla⋅tion⋅ist, noun, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To deflation
de·fla·tion   (dĭ-flā'shən)   
n.  
  1. The act of deflating or the condition of being deflated.
  2. A persistent decrease in the level of consumer prices or a persistent increase in the purchasing power of money because of a reduction in available currency and credit.
  3. The erosion of soil by the wind.
de·fla'tion·ar'y (-shə-něr'ē) adj., de·fla'tion·ist n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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deflation

A decrease in prices, often stated as an increase in the value of money, related to a decline in spending by consumers. (Compare inflation.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Deflation

A general decline in prices, often caused by a reduction in the supply of money or credit. Deflation can be caused also by a decrease in government, personal or investment spending. The opposite of inflation, deflation has the side effect of increased unemployment since there is a lower level of demand in the economy, which can lead to an economic depression.

Investopedia Commentary

Declining prices, if they persist, generally create a vicious spiral of negatives such as falling profits, closing factories, shrinking employment and incomes, and increasing defaults on loans by companies and individuals. To counter deflation, the Federal Reserve (the Fed) can use monetary policy to increase the money supply and deliberately induce rising prices, causing inflation. Rising prices provide an essential lubricant for any sustained recovery because businesses increase profits and take some of the depressive pressures off wages and debtors of every kind.

Related Links

All about Inflation Tutorial
Formulating Monetary Policy
Why the CPI Is a Friend to Investors

See also: CPI, Disinflation, Federal Reserve Bank, Hyperinflation, Inflation, Inflationary Psychology, Monetary Policy, Money Supply, Reflation, Stagflation

Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
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deflation

A reduction in consumer or wholesale prices. The term generally applies to more than just a temporary decline. Compare inflation. See also disinflation.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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deflation   (dĭ-flā'shən)  Pronunciation Key 
The lifting and removal of fine, dry particles of silt, soil, and sand by the wind. Deflation is common in deserts and in coastal areas that have sand dunes.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Ugly Inflation Is Coming
 These 7 Deadly Ingredients Could Wipe Out The Economy – Report
 www.freeinvestingreports.com