pejorative

pejorative
pejorative "depreciative, disparaging," 1882, from Fr. péjoratif (fem. péjorative), from L.L. pejoratus, pp. of pejorare "make worse," from L. pejor "worse," related to pessimus "worst," pessum "downward, to the ground." English had a verb pejorate "to worsen" from 1640s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • pejorative — [pi jôr′ə tiv, pijär′ə tiv; ] occas. [ pē′jə rāt΄iv, pej′ərāt΄iv] adj. [< L pejoratus, pp. of pejorare, to make worse < pejor, worse, orig., inclined downward < IE base * ped ,FOOT] 1. declining; making or becoming worse: applied to… …   English World dictionary

  • Pejorative — Pe*jor a*tive, a. [F. p[ e]joratif, fr. L. pejor, used as compar. of malus evil.] Implying or imputing evil; depreciatory; disparaging; unfavorable. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pejorative — I adjective abusive, acrimonious, belittling, blackening, calumnious, castigatory, censorious, critical, cynical, damaging, decrying, defamatory, denigrating, denunciatory, depreciative, depreciatory, derisive, derogative, derogatory, detracting …   Law dictionary

  • pejorative — *derogatory, depreciatory, depreciative, disparaging, slighting Analogous words: contemptuous, despiteful, scornful, disdainful (see corresponding nouns under DESPISE vb): decrying, belittling, minimizing (see DECRY) Contrasted words: praising,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • pejorative — [adj] negative, belittling debasing, deprecatory, depreciatory, derisive, derogatory, detracting, detractive, detractory, disadvantageous, disparaging, irreverent, rude, slighting, uncomplimentary, unpleasant; concept 267 Ant. complimentary,… …   New thesaurus

  • pejorative — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ expressing contempt or disapproval. DERIVATIVES pejoratively adverb. ORIGIN French péjoratif, from Latin pejorare make worse …   English terms dictionary

  • Pejorative — Pejoratives[1] (or terms of abuse, derogatory terms), including name slurs,[2] are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others,… …   Wikipedia

  • péjorative — ● péjoratif, péjorative adjectif (bas latin pejorare, aggraver, du latin classique pejor, oris, pire) péjoratif nom masculin (bas latin pejorare, aggraver, du latin classique pejor, oris, pire) Se dit d un terme ou d un affixe qui tend à… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • pejorative — [[t]pəʤɒ̱rətɪv, AM ʤɔ͟ːr [/t]] ADJ GRADED A pejorative word or expression is one that expresses criticism of someone or something. [FORMAL] I agree I am ambitious, and I don t see that as a pejorative term... Isn t there a suggestion that poetess …   English dictionary

  • pejorative — pejoratively, adv. /pi jawr euh tiv, jor , pej euh ray , pee jeuh /, adj. 1. having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or force: the pejorative affix ling in princeling. n. 2. a pejorative form or word, as poetaster. [1880 85; < L… …   Universalium

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