Baisse

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A reduction or decline in quantity, value, or intensity; a downward trend or decrease in a particular measure; a falling away from a previous level or condition
2. The act or process of lessening or diminishing something; a drop or downturn often seen in economic or financial contexts; a gradual movement toward a lower state or amount
3. A downward shift in status, price, or amount; a contraction or diminishment affecting various aspects or quantities; a movement characterized by a loss or reduction compared to an earlier point

Etymology: "Baisse" is French, meaning a fall or decline, and in finance it means a fall in prices. It comes from the Old French "baisser", "to lower", which descends from the Latin "bassiare", "to lower" or "make low", itself built on "bassus", "low" or "short". That same Latin adjective gave English "base" and "bass" (in the sense of low sound), so "baisse" is a distant cousin of words for depth and lowness. The French word was borrowed into English financial language, where it is used mainly in the phrase "bear market" contexts and in "à la baisse", meaning on a falling trend. Its close relative in French, "baisser", is an everyday verb for lowering things, from a dropping blind to a voice.

Synonyms: decline, drop, fall, decrease, reduction

Antonyms: increase, rise, growth, surge, boost