depression

Meaning

Noun

  • In psychotherapy and psychiatry, a state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future.
  • An area that is lower in topography than its surroundings.
  • In psychotherapy and psychiatry, a period of unhappiness or low morale which lasts longer than several weeks and may include ideation of self-inflicted injury or suicide.
  • An area of lowered air pressure that generally brings moist weather, sometimes promoting hurricanes and tornadoes.
  • A period of major economic contraction.
  • Four consecutive quarters of negative, real GDP growth. See NBER.
  • The act of lowering or pressing something down.
  • A lowering, in particular a reduction in a particular biological variable or the function of an organ, in contrast to elevation.

Origin

  • From Middle English depression, depressioun, from Old French depression, from Latin dēpressiō.

Modern English dictionary

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