Deflation
Etymology
Coined as the deliberate opposite of inflation, from Latin de-, "down, away," plus flare, "to blow" — the money supply being "let out" like air from a balloon rather than puffed up. The word entered economic use in the late 1800s alongside debates over currency and gold.
noun · /dee-FLAY-shun/
A general, sustained fall in prices across an economy, so each unit of money buys a little more over time.
What it names
It sounds like a bargain but often signals trouble: if prices keep dropping, people delay buying and debts get heavier, which can stall the whole economy.
Example
Shoppers cheered falling prices, but economists warned that prolonged deflation could freeze spending.
Related idea
A recession is a slump in activity; deflation is specifically about prices falling, and the two can feed each other.