Deflation is a general fall in prices across an economy. Fear of deflation, a period of deflation, fight deflation.
It sounds welcome and is not: if prices are falling, people put off buying, which slows the economy further, and debts get heavier in real terms. Japan spent decades fighting it. It is not the same as disinflation, which is prices rising more slowly.
1noundeflationA general fall in prices across an economy.
“Japan struggled with deflation for years, as prices fell and wages stayed flat.”
deflation is an economic condition.
Ancient Greek
εἶμι
English
ion
English, today
deflation
Built from
From deflate + -ion. ion comes from Ancient Greek εἶμι. From the ending of anion and cation, which in turn is from Ancient Greek ἰόν (“going”), neuter present participle of εἶμι (“I go”). coined by William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA