amelioration

[uh-meel-yuh-rey-shuh n, uh-mee-lee-uh-] /əˌmil yəˈreɪ ʃən, əˈmi li ə-/
noun
1.
an act or instance of ameliorating; the state of being ameliorated.
2.
something that ameliorates; an improvement.
3.
melioration (def 1).
Origin
1790-1800; ameliorate + -ion
Antonyms
depreciation, pejoration.
Examples from the web for amelioration
  • It is an angry work, filled with bitterness about the impossibility of amelioration.
  • Early amelioration work released noxious smells in the neighborhood, and the evacuation area was widened.
  • Time and its natural experiences are doing their work of amelioration.
  • Solutions to these problems will also result in amelioration of the global warming problem, if it exists.
  • Certainly, both have tremendous power to aid in the amelioration of global poverty.
  • Let the amelioration in our laws of property proceed from the concession of the rich, not from the grasping of the poor.
  • They are our problems, and their solution or amelioration is the responsibility of us all, irrespective of race.
British Dictionary definitions for amelioration

amelioration

/əˌmiːljəˈreɪʃən/
noun
1.
the act or an instance of ameliorating or the state of being ameliorated
2.
something that ameliorates; an improvement
3.
(linguistics) Also called elevation. (of the meaning of a word) a change from pejorative to neutral or positively pleasant. The word nice has achieved its modern meaning by amelioration from the earlier sense foolish, silly
Word Origin and History for amelioration
n.

1650s, from French amélioration, from Old French ameillorer (12c.), from a "to" (see ad-) + meillior (Modern French meìlleur) "to better," from Late Latin meliorare "improve," from Latin melior "better," perhaps originally "stronger," and related to Greek mala "very, very much," from PIE *mel- "strong, great" (see multi-).