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Added 9 October 2026

decrease

/dɪˈkɹiːs/ verb

In Latin: dēcrēmentum Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about decrease at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of a quantity, to become smaller.
The quality of our products has decreased since the main designer left.
To make (a quantity) smaller.
Let's decrease the volume a little so we can hear each other talking.

noun

An amount by which a quantity decreases or is decreased.
After six years of constant growth, the company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.
A reduction in the number of stitches, usually accomplished by suspending the stitch to be decreased from another existing stitch or by knitting it together with another stitch. See Decrease (knitting).

Origin

From Middle English decresen, alteration of discresen, from Anglo-Norman, Old French descreistre (French: décroître), from Latin decrescere.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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