This word is a perfect example of how words change their meaning over
time.
Originally, deprecare in Latin
meant to pray (precare) in order to ward off something undesirable.
Gradually,
the word’s meaning shifted to one of disapproval. From that point it changed
to its current meaning which is to belittle, to reduce, to diminish. This can
apply to an activity, a person and/or their character.
When one deprecates an event, action or person, one
is expressing disapproval and belittling the value of the event, action or
person.
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