What does deprecation mean?
"Deprecation" denotes the act of expressing strong disapproval of something, but in contemporary usage it is most familiar from the world of software, where it describes the formal marking of a feature, function, or standard as obsolete. When a technology is deprecated, it still works but is discouraged, with developers urged to adopt a recommended alternative before eventual removal. This sense has made the word ubiquitous in release notes, documentation, and programming communities, where phrases like "deprecation warning" are routine. Beyond computing, the word retains its older, more formal sense of censure or condemnation, and it survives in everyday speech chiefly through "self-deprecation" — the humorous or modest belittling of oneself. Derived from the Latin deprecari, meaning to pray against or ward off, deprecation is a useful word for anyone navigating technical change, and one that rewards careful distinction from its near-homophone "depreciation."
The expression of strong disapproval or censure.
"Her speech was met not with applause but with quiet deprecation from the older members."
This traditional sense is now comparatively formal and less common than the technical sense.
In computing, the process of marking a feature or practice as obsolete and discouraged from use, usually pending removal.
"The deprecation of Internet Explorer forced many companies to modernize their web applications."
Standard in software documentation; deprecated features typically continue to work but emit warnings.
The plural is rare and generally used only when referring to multiple instances of disapproval or multiple deprecation events; in technical writing, "deprecation" is usually uncountable.
"The changelog listed several deprecations that would take effect after the next major release."
In tech circles, a "deprecation warning" is software's polite way of saying your favorite feature is on death row — but in older English, the word simply meant praying against something.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of deprecation
"Deprecation" derives from the Latin deprecari, formed from de- (away) and precari (to pray, to entreat), originally meaning to pray against something or seek to ward it off by prayer. It entered English in the early 17th century with the sense of earnest petitioning against evil and soon came to mean the expression of disapproval or censure. It shares its root precari with words such as "precarious," "imprecation," and "pray." In the late 20th century, the computing industry adopted the term for the deliberate discouragement of obsolete features, giving the word its dominant modern sense.
Related word forms
How deprecation is actually used
In modern usage, especially in technical writing, "deprecation" overwhelmingly refers to the phasing out of features in software. The general sense of disapproval is now relatively formal and less frequent. The word carries a neutral-to-formal register in technical contexts, where it implies an official announcement rather than casual criticism. It should not be confused with "depreciation," which concerns loss of value.
Easily confused with deprecation
"Depreciation" means a decline in value or worth (as in accounting), while "deprecation" means disapproval or, in computing, the phasing out of a feature.