pejorative

American  

[pi-jawr-uh-tiv, -jor-] / pɪˈdʒɔr ə tɪv, -ˈdʒɒr- /

adjective

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

   The -ling in princeling is a pejorative suffix.

   Synonyms:

   deprecatory

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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 British  

/ pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv, ˈpiːdʒər- /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a pejorative word, expression, etc

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of pejorative

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

Example Sentences

But the street, now, is built on ideas of instant fame — “selling out,” once a pejorative, is now an ambition.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From 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.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From The Wall Street Journal

"Mercenary" is a particularly pejorative word in Arabic.

From Barron's