verb (used without object), de·creased, de·creas·ing.
- to diminish or lessen in extent, quantity, strength, power, etc.: During the ten-day march across the desert their supply of water decreased rapidly.
verb (used with object), de·creased, de·creas·ing.
- to make less; cause to diminish: to decrease one’s work load.
noun
- the act or process of decreasing; condition of being decreased; gradual reduction: a decrease in sales; a decrease in intensity.
- the amount by which a thing is lessened: The decrease in sales was almost 20 percent.
verb (dɪˈkriːs)
- to diminish or cause to diminish in size, number, strength, etc
noun (ˈdiːkriːs, dɪˈkriːs)
- the act or process of diminishing; reduction
- the amount by which something has been diminished
late 14c., from Anglo-French decreiss-, present participle stem of decreistre, Old French descroistre (12c., Modern French décroître), from Latin decrescere “to grow less, diminish,” from de- “away from” (see de-) + crescere “to grow” (see crescent). Related: Decreased; decreasing.
late 14c., “detriment, harm;” early 15c. as “a becoming less or smaller,” from Anglo-French decres; see decrease (v.).