deprecative

dep·re·ca·to·ry

(dĕp′rĭ-kə-tôr′ē) also dep·re·ca·tive (-kā′tĭv)

adj.

1. Expressing disapproval or criticism.

2. Mildly disparaging or uncomplimentary, especially of oneself.

dep′re·ca·to′ri·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

dep•re•ca•tive

(ˈdɛp rɪˌkeɪ tɪv, -kə tɪv)

adj.

serving to deprecate; deprecatory.

[1480–90; (< Anglo-French) < Late Latin]

dep′re•ca`tive•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	deprecative - tending to diminish or disparage; "belittling comments"; "managed a deprecating smile at the compliment"; "deprecatory remarks about the book"; "a slighting remark" belittling, deprecating, deprecatory, slighting, depreciative, depreciatory uncomplimentary - tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage
	2.	deprecative - given to expressing disapproval critical - marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; "a critical attitude"

deprecative

adjective

Tending or intending to belittle:

deprecatory, depreciative, depreciatory, derogative, derogatory, detractive, disparaging, low, pejorative, slighting, uncomplimentary.

References in periodicals archive ?

His use of the expression in that deprecative sense indicates that he is Anglo centric (which means those who believe that London is the centre of the universe).

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For the Jaqi, women are productive and there are no deprecative terms specific to them.

The sexist circuits of English

In baptism, for example, the indicative form predominates - "I baptize you" - with the deprecative form implicit in the trinitarian invocation and in any case abundantly manifest in the surrounding prayers), whereas in Order the deprecative form takes precedence, though with complete confidence that the prayer is heard: "Grant, we beseech You, Almighty Father, the dignity of the priesthood to this your servant, etc." In penance, both dimensions are equally evident.