debasement

American  

[dih-beys-muhnt] / dɪˈbeɪs mənt /

noun

1. the act of reducing the quality or value of something.

   The moment any paper currency is firmly linked back to gold, the debasement of paper money stops.

2. the fact or state of being lowered in dignity, character, or importance.

   Rich and greedy, he chose debasement, disgrace, and dishonorable practices in order to get even richer.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-debasement
  noun

Etymology

Origin of debasement

debase ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

Explanation

Debasement is the process of spoiling something or reducing its value by combining it with another material. Debasement can also refer to degrading or disgracing someone. The noun debasement can be used in an economic context to mean "lower the value of currency or money," usually referring to coins made of gold or silver that has been mixed with cheaper metals. In the old days, debasement generally meant the removal of someone's knighthood: "The knight's treasonous actions meant certain debasement by the king." Today you might hear someone complain about the debasement of politics caused by big money.