denigration

den·i·grate  (dn-grt)

tr.v. den·i·grat·ed, den·i·grat·ing, den·i·grates

1. To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame.

2. To disparage; belittle: The critics have denigrated our efforts.

---

[Latin dnigrre, dnigrt-, to blacken, defame : d-, de- + niger, nigr-, black; see nek^w-t- in Indo-European roots.]

---

deni·gration n.

deni·grator n.

---

denigration

literally, blackening; commonly, the sullying or defaming of a person, organization, or institution. — denigrator, n.

See also: Blackening and Blackness

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	denigration - a belittling comment belittling derogation, disparagement, depreciation - a communication that belittles somebody or something
	2.	denigration - an abusive attack on a person's character or good name aspersion, calumny, defamation, slander attack - strong criticism; "he published an unexpected attack on my work"
	3.	denigration - the act of expressing disapproval (especially of yourself) deprecation dispraise, disparagement - the act of speaking contemptuously of