dépréciation
/de.pʁe.sja.sjɔ̃/feminine
The English word depreciation is translated into French as dépréciation.
The term refers to the decline in value of assets.
Meaning: the decline in value of assets (noun)
Which one should you use?
The formal term amortissement is sometimes used interchangeably with depreciation.
How does it change in a sentence?
dépréciation is a feminine noun, so any accompanying adjectives must also be in the feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and is pronounced /de.pʁe.sja.sjɔ̃/.
Did you know?
- While dépréciation describes a loss of value, the word amortissement comes from the verb amortir, which literally means 'to kill' or 'to deaden' a blow.
- In a legal or formal context, if you use dépréciation to describe a person's character rather than an asset, you are describing a 'disparagement' or an attempt to belittle them.
- The root of dépréciation involves the Latin 'pretium', meaning 'price', which connects it to the English word 'precious'.
Examples in context
- L'entreprise a subi une dépréciation significative de ses actifsThe company experienced a significant depreciation of its assets
- L'amortissement annuel de cette machine est de 10%The annual depreciation of this machine is 10%
- Le prix de cette voiture a subi une baisse de valeur importanteThe price of this car experienced a significant decrease in value
- Suite à la crise, nous avons observé une réduction de la valeur de nos investissementsFollowing the crisis, we witnessed a reduction in the value of our investments
- L'investissement immobilier a subi une dépréciation de 15% en raison de la crise économique mondiale.The real estate investment experienced a 15% depreciation due to the global economic crisis.
- La dépréciation de l'euro est inquiétante.The depreciation of the euro is worrying.
- Nous devons calculer la dépréciation de ce matériel.We must calculate the depreciation of this equipment.
- Cette dépréciation affecte directement nos bénéfices.This depreciation directly affects our profits.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are discussing business finances.
- GabrielRegarde la dépréciation de cet équipement.Look at the depreciation of this equipment.
- ManonC'est normal pour ce type de machine.It is normal for this type of machine.
- GabrielL'impact sur le bilan est énorme.The impact on the balance sheet is huge.
- ManonOn devrait investir dans du neuf.We should invest in something new.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “depreciation” translations and entries dépréciation, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dépréciation, CC BY-SA 4.0.
