pejorative

[pi-jawr-uh-tiv, -jor-]

adjective

1. having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling meaning or effect.

   The -ling in princeling is a pejorative suffix.

   Synonyms: deprecatory

noun

1. a form or word that is disparaging, derogatory, or belittling, such as bean counter for an accountant, or the -nik in peacenik.

pejorative

/ pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv, ˈpiːdʒər- /

adjective

1. (of words, expressions, etc) having an unpleasant or disparaging connotation

noun

1. a pejorative word, expression, etc

Other Word Forms

• pejoratively adverb
• nonpejorative adjective
• nonpejoratively adverb
• unpejorative adjective
• unpejoratively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pejorative¹

First recorded in 1880–85; from Latin pējōrāt(us) “made worse” ( pejoration ) + -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of pejorative¹

C19: from French péjoratif, from Late Latin pējōrātus, past participle of pējōrāre to make worse, from Latin pēior worse

Example Sentences

There is a pejorative word—reactionary—to describe such an enterprise.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I also remember that when I spent some time with hobos — and I’m not sure if that’s a pejorative word today, but they’re a little different category of people than simply those who are homeless.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

What was once a pejorative term—“moonlighting”—morphed into a more-attractive “side hustle.”

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"Mercenary" is a particularly pejorative word in Arabic.

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They began to do all they could to shut down government and to excoriate Democrats, using the list of pejorative terms former House Speaker Newt Gingrich cribbed from conservative shock-jock Rush Limbaugh.

Read more on Salon