derogatory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of derogatory
First recorded in 1495–1505; from Late Latin dērogātōrius “belonging to a repeal”; equivalent to derogate + -tory 1
Explanation
Something that's derogatory is insulting or disrespectful. If you make derogatory comments, that means you say things that are unflattering, unkind, or demeaning. Derogatory means about the same as insulting. Derogatory language is meant to hurt, and it usually does. If you feel offended or insulted by what someone says, the person probably said something derogatory. Racial, sexist, and homophobic slurs are all derogatory. Insults that mean someone is stupid or crazy are derogatory. Making a joke about someone's mother is derogatory.
Vocabulary lists containing derogatory
Of Mice and Men
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Grade 9, List 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The idea runs back at least to the influential 18th-century English jurist William Blackstone, who instructed that “Acts of parliament derogatory from the power of subsequent parliaments bind not.”
From Slate • May 26, 2026
As the head of government of a country that considers itself culturally Catholic, she also described Donald Trump's recent derogatory remarks about the Pope as "unacceptable".
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
He said both appear unlikely, but “the greater risk is some derogatory change, rather than some salutary change.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
In an interview with The Times on Tuesday, Vorhis called Hale’s claims false and derogatory.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026
He says Youn is a derogatory name and since we are living in Vietnam, we should not use it.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
