Upliftment

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act or process of raising someone's spirits or mood ; the improvement or elevation of a person's social or economic condition
2. The enhancement of emotional well-being or morale ; the progress made toward better societal or financial standing
3. A boost in feelings of happiness or hope ; the positive development or upgrade of one’s social or financial position

Etymology: "Upliftment" is a plain compound built from "uplift" and the suffix "-ment," which turns a verb into a noun naming the act or result of the action. "Uplift" itself was formed in English by joining "up" and "lift," so the new word is two layers of ordinary English stacked together. Its sense has moved from the physical act of raising something to the figurative lifting of spirits or social condition, a shift that "uplift" had already made before "upliftment" appeared.

Synonyms: elevation, advancement

Antonyms: decline, deterioration