Inflation and deflation are the most prominent -flations, but they’re not the only ones we've witnessed in recent years. Disinflation is another example and is often confused with deflation. It just means slowing inflation – not to the point where prices are decreasing dramatically, but rather, the market adjusting to lower rate of growth.   You may also have heard of hyperinflation, which is pretty much what it sounds like - a rapidly accelerating increase in the rate of inflation. Hyperinflation is quite rare and typically defined as an inflationary increase of 50% or more from month to month.  Stagflation, which derives its name from the word ‘stagnation’, is a combination of high inflation and high unemployment rates, or slow economic growth overall. The term been thrown around a lot post-pandemic, including recent comments from a former federal banking official stating that the risk may currently be greater than we think. However, the jury is still out as to whether we’ve recently seen, or are heading for, stagnation in Canada.