melioration

noun

me·​lio·​ra·​tion ˌmēlyəˈrāshən 

-lēə-

plural -s

: the quality or state of being meliorated or an act of meliorating : betterment: such as

a

: lasting or major improvement of land (as by a tenant)

the effect of meliorations was greater on height growth of fir and on soil flora and condition

—Biological Abstracts

b

: the historical process by which the semantic and connotative status of a word tends to rise

the emergence of steward from sty-ward is an example of melioration in action

compare pejoration

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin melioration-, melioratio, from melioratus + Latin -ion-, -io -ion

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Rhymes for melioration

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation