derogatory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- derogatorily adverb
- derogatoriness noun
- nonderogatorily adverb
- nonderogatorilyness noun
- nonderogatory adjective
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.
He said both appear unlikely, but “the greater risk is some derogatory change, rather than some salutary change.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
That derogatory view wasn't correct then and it is even further from the truth now.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026
She added, “To its credit, the Government does not defend President Trump’s derogatory statements. No one rationally could.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
I grew up calling it elaichi with such disdain that those unfamiliar with its English translation would’ve thought it was something utterly derogatory.
From Salon • Jan. 25, 2026
“I heard so many derogatory remarks,” Oshiro said.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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.
