Délévation

Délévation is a term encountered mainly in French, where it is formed from the prefix dé- (removal or reduction) and élévation (elevation or height). In standard technical vocabulary, the more common and widely accepted word is élévation. As a result, délévation is not regarded as a well-defined or widely used concept in most professional fields and may be seen as a nonstandard form or a typographical variation.

In practice, délévation tends to appear only sporadically or in historical texts, dialectal usage, or as a misprint. When it is encountered, it is generally understood to convey a notion related to lowering or removing elevation—that is, reducing vertical height, height measurements, or relief. However, because it is not an established technical term, its precise meaning can vary by source and context, and readers are advised to consult the original material to determine the intended sense.

Etymologically, délévation mirrors the structure of other French prefixes that modify base nouns or verbs, but its current status in modern technical writing remains uncertain. In contemporary use, if the goal is to discuss height, altitude, or exterior facades in architecture, researchers and practitioners typically use élévation or related terms to avoid ambiguity.

See also: élévation, elevation, altitude, topography, architecture, GIS.

---