derogatory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word 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.
“Their intent was to disseminate false and derogatory information about Ms. Comans as widely as possible.”
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
New York Fed researchers found that the pace of credit-card delinquencies stabilized after 2024 when removing severely derogatory balances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Blacks were ashamed of those derogatory images,” she told the New York Times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The 55-year-old was among the first recruits to LIV Golf, despite making derogatory comments about the Saudi Arabian backers of the breakaway tour.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
He must have thought it derogatory to bring bread-and-butter alone, nor was it Manderley routine.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
