Reduction

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈdʌkʃən/

Definitions

1. A decrease in size, amount, degree, or intensity of something
2. A process that leads to a smaller size, lesser amount, or reduced complexity in an object, condition, or concept
3. A process or act that results in a lesser quantity, diminished size, or decreased intensity of a given entity or phenomenon

Etymology: The English noun "reduction" arrived by way of Middle English "reduccion" from Old French "reducion," which in turn came from the Latin "reductiō," a noun built from the verb "reducere," meaning "to lead back." The original sense was literal and physical: a bringing back to a former place or state. That core idea of returning something to an earlier condition is still visible in the older uses of the word, where a reduction could mean restoring a dislocated bone or bringing a rebellious territory back under control. The shrinking sense that the word carries today grew out of the same root. To reduce something is to lead it back toward a smaller or simpler state, and the noun naturally followed the verb into talk of cutting costs, lowering quantities, and making things smaller. Because the Latin root meant "back" and "lead," the modern meaning of decrease is a kind of return to a lower level rather than a new idea.

Synonyms: decrease, diminution, lessening, cutback, abatement

Antonyms: increase, augmentation, expansion, growth