deflation

[ dih-fley-shuhn ]
See synonyms for deflation on Thesaurus.com
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.

  1. the erosion of sand, soil, etc., by the action of the wind.

Origin of deflation

1
First recorded in 1890–95; deflate + -ion

Other words from deflation

  • de·fla·tion·ar·y, adjective
  • de·fla·tion·ism, noun
  • de·fla·tion·ist, noun, adjective
  • non·de·fla·tion, noun
  • non·de·fla·tion·ar·y, adjective
  • self-de·fla·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use deflation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for deflation

deflation

/ (dɪˈfleɪʃən) /


noun
  1. the act of deflating or state of being deflated

  2. economics a reduction in the level of total spending and economic activity resulting in lower levels of output, employment, investment, trade, profits, and prices: Compare disinflation

  1. geology the removal of loose rock material, sand, and dust by the wind

Derived forms of deflation

  • deflationary, adjective
  • deflationist, noun, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for deflation

deflation

[ dĭ-flāshən ]


  1. 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 © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for deflation

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 New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.