Definition of "depreciation" []

• A decrease or loss in value, as because of age, wear, or market conditions. (noun)
• Accounting An allowance made for a loss in value of property. (noun)
• Reduction in the purchasing value of money. (noun)
• An instance of disparaging or belittlement. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "In case you weren't aware, new cars take a big hit in depreciation in the first few years of ownership — a smart buyer lets someone else pay that "new car" tax."
• "Self-depreciation is just the other side of the coin."
• "Residual value matters because depreciation is the largest single cost of owning a car."