Added 9 October 2026
debase
/dɪˈbeɪs/ verb
Latin root: bassus Wiktionary
verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about debase at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality.
debauch the young people with wine and women
- Lower in value by increasing the base-metal content.
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Corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones.
adulterate liquor
Origin
From de- + base, from Old French bas, from Latin bassus. Cognate with Spanish debajo (“under, beneath, below”). Compare abase.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)