deflation
UK[dɪˈfleɪʃən]US[dɪˈfleɪʃən]
n
a reduction in the amount of money in a country's economy so that prices fall or stop rising
n
the action of air being removed from something, or the fact of becoming smaller because of air being removed
Morpheme Breakdown
de
flat
ion
de
down, away
flat
blow
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
the word "deflation" is built from latin components. the prefix "de-" signifies a reversal or removal, while the core "-flat-" derives from the latin verb flare, meaning "to blow." the suffix "-ion" denotes an action or state. therefore, the literal construction means "the action of blowing away or down." this perfectly captures the modern economic sense of a reduction or letting out of air from the monetary system, causing prices to fall, as well as the physical sense of air being removed from an object, causing it to collapse or shrink.
Analysis
Structure: de (down, away) + flat (blow) + ion (noun suffix)
de: latin origin, a prefix meaning "down, away, off, completely."
flat: from latin flare (to blow), present in the english spelling as "flat" from its past participle stem flat-.
ion: latin origin, a suffix used to form nouns indicating an action or process.
Examples
the government's primary concern was combating deflation and stimulating economic growth.
the deflation of the football made it impossible to play with.
prolonged deflation can lead to decreased consumer spending and higher unemployment.