There seems to be an agreed-upon set of measurements that can be used to define "recession". I think the term "depression" is more of a lay term, rather than proper economical term. I recall an anecdote where a judge was asked what pornography was. He couldn't say with any precision what it was, but did comment, "I'd know it if I saw it."
I'm aware, but I wasn't talking at all about the unemployment rate, here. That's what the depression was. Half of the population didn't have a job. This says nothing about the unemployment rate.
That is a the 30's measure. In today's world when 50% of the US population are employed in jobs funded by FED and Treasury loans that is a depression. All investment banks, US auto manufactures and soon to be aircraft manufacturers, home builders and states are heading in that direction. USSA here we come.