degression

plural degressions

1. countableobsoleteuncountableDescent, the act of descending.

   For your blode this citie made never degression.

   1486, Henry VII at York in Surtees Misc., 55

2. countableuncountableeconomicsDegressive taxation, a system of progressive decreases in a rate of taxation (as tariffs etc.) below certain benchmarks.

   Graduated taxation therefore technically includes progression, degression, and regression.

   1896, R.H.I. Palgrave, Dictionary of Political Economy, volume II, page 244

3. countableuncountablemediaDegressive description, a system of varying descriptions of a book in accordance to its importance or available space.

   The principle of degression... It may therefore be worth while to suggest four forms for the description of a book, showing by degressive changes what details may fairly be omitted in short descriptions.

   1908, F. Madan in Transactions of the Bibliographical Society, number 9, page 53

plural degressions

1. obsoleteObsolete spelling of digression.