First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
deprave
verb de·prave \di-ˈprāv\
de·pravedde·prav·ing
Definition of DEPRAVE
transitive verb
1
archaic : to speak ill of : malign
2
: to make bad : corrupt; especially : to corrupt morally
— de·pra·va·tion \ˌde-prə-ˈvā-shən, ˌdē-ˌprā-\ noun
— de·prave·ment \di-ˈprāv-mənt\ noun
— de·prav·er \di-ˈprā-vər\ noun
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Origin of DEPRAVE
Middle English, from Anglo-French depraver, from Latin depravare to pervert, from de- + pravus crooked, bad
Related to DEPRAVE
Synonym Discussion of DEPRAVE
debase, vitiate, deprave, corrupt, debauch, pervert mean to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character. debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity <commercialism has debased the holiday>. vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect <a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship>. deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences <the claim that society is depraved by pornography>. corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity <the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language>. debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence <the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew>. pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal <perverted the original goals of the institute>.
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