Plummet

Verb

Definition: To fall or drop suddenly and steeply.

Definition: To decrease rapidly or significantly.

Synonyms: Fall, Drop, Dive, Decline, Decrease

Antonyms: Rise, Increase, Ascend

Examples:

The stock prices plummeted after the company announced losses.
The temperature is expected to plummet tonight.

Mnemonics:

Think of a plummeting elevator or a bird diving sharply.
"Plummet" rhymes with "summit," which represents a sudden change in altitude.

Etymology:

Origin:

Late Middle English, from Old French 'plommet', diminutive of 'plomb' (lead), from Latin 'plumbum'.

Historical Usage:

The word "plummet" has been used since the late Middle English period, and its original meaning referred to a lead weight used for measuring depth.

Related Idioms:

Idiom:

"Plummet to earth"

Explanation:

Refers to a rapid descent, often used metaphorically to describe a sudden and significant decline in something.

Misconceptions:

Misconception:

Confusing "plummet" with "plumb" or "plumb line."

Explanation:

Although "plummet" and "plumb" have a related etymology, they are not interchangeable in meaning. "Plummet" refers to a sudden drop or decrease, while "plumb" and "plumb line" refer to a weight used for measuring verticality or depth.