decrease Hear it!

decrease definition

de·crease (dē krēs′, di-; also, & for n. usually, dē′krēs′)

intransitive verb, transitive verb decreased -·creased′, decreasing -·creas′·ing

to become or cause to become less, smaller, etc.; diminish

Etymology: ME decresen < OFr decreistre < L decrescere < de-, from, away + crescere, grow: see crescent

noun

  1. a decreasing; lessening; diminution
  2. amount of decreasing

Etymology: ME decres

Related Forms:

decrease Idioms

on the decrease

decreasing

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