MELIORATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does melioration mean? 

• MELIORATION (noun)
  The noun MELIORATION has 3 senses:

1. the act of relieving ills and changing for the better

2. a condition superior to an earlier condition

3. the linguistic process in which over a period of time a word grows more positive in connotation or more elevated in meaning

  Familiarity information: MELIORATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MELIORATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of relieving ills and changing for the better

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

amelioration; betterment; melioration

Hypernyms ("melioration" is a kind of...):

improvement (the act of improving something)

Derivation:

meliorate (get better)

meliorate (to make better)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A condition superior to an earlier condition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

improvement; melioration

Context example:

the new school represents a great improvement

Hypernyms ("melioration" is a kind of...):

condition; status (a state at a particular time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "melioration"):

betterment (an improvement that adds to the value of a property or facility)

development (a state in which things are improving; the result of developing (as in the early part of a game of chess))

reformation (improvement (or an intended improvement) in the existing form or condition of institutions or practices etc.; intended to make a striking change for the better in social or political or religious affairs)

refurbishment; renovation; restoration (the state of being restored to its former good condition)

Derivation:

meliorate (get better)

meliorate (to make better)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The linguistic process in which over a period of time a word grows more positive in connotation or more elevated in meaning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("melioration" is a kind of...):

drift (a process of linguistic change over a period of time)

Derivation:

meliorate (get better)