Reducing or lowering the official value of a currency or decreasing the worth or importance of something.
From de- (Latin prefix meaning 'down' or 'remove') + value (from Old French 'value'). The prefix de- combined with 'value' creates the meaning of reducing worth, with -ing forming the present participle.
Countries devalue their currency as an economic strategy to make exports cheaper and more attractive to foreign buyers—it's like putting your entire country's products on sale! This happened dramatically when Britain left the gold standard in 1931, shocking the world economy.
The practice of 'devaluing' women's expertise and leadership has been documented across STEM, medicine, and governance—what women propose is dismissed while identical ideas from men are credited.
Name devaluing as a form of bias when discussing professional settings; acknowledge crediting disparities explicitly.
["dismissing expertise based on gender","credential erasure"]
Women scientists and leaders who fought against institutional devaluing—from Rosalind Franklin to contemporary equity advocates—shaped modern recognition of bias.
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