melioration

American  

[meel-yuh-rey-shuhn, mee-lee-uh-] / ˌmil yəˈreɪ ʃən, ˌmi li ə- /

noun

1. Historical Linguistics. semantic change in a word to a more approved or more respectable meaning.

2. amelioration.

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melioration British  

/ ˌmiːlɪəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of improving or the state of being improved

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Etymology

Origin of melioration

1620–30; < Late Latin meliōrātiōn- (stem of meliōrātiō ), equivalent to meliōrāt ( us ) ( see meliorate) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

But professional reformation or melioration is usually an organic, incremental process.

From BusinessWeek • Nov. 22, 2011

I consider the absolute and unconditional interdiction of this article among these people as the first and great step in their melioration.

From A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 3, part 1: Andrew Jackson (Second Term) by Richardson, James D. (James Daniel)

In this case, also, the air has never failed to be restored; but then it might be suspected that the melioration was produced by the addition of some more wholesome ingredient.

From Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air by Priestley, Joseph

As the two great causes of the melioration in the lot of the slaves since the establishment of our Independence, I should set down: 1.

From The Journal of Negro History, Volume 6, 1921 by Various

The present constitution of the Union was formed at a later period than those of the majority of the states, and it may have derived some melioration from past experience.

From American Institutions and Their Influence by Tocqueville, Alexis de