pejorative

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia.

pe·jor·a·tive

(pĭ-jôr′ə-tĭv, -jŏr′-, pĕj′ə-rā′tĭv, pē′jə-)

adj.

Disparaging; belittling: "The label Neandertal took on a pejorative connotation decades ago; it implied boorishness at best and stupidity at worst" (Craig Stanford).

A disparaging or belittling word or expression.

pe·jor′a·tive·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.

pejorative

(pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv; ˈpiːdʒər-)

adj

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

a pejorative word, expression, etc

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

peˈjoratively adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pe•jo•ra•tive

(pɪˈdʒɔr ə tɪv, -ˈdʒɒr-, ˈpɛdʒ əˌreɪ-, ˈpi dʒə-)

adj.

1. having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or force, as a word.

2. a pejorative form or word, as poetaster.

[1880–85; < Late Latin pējōrāt(us), past participle of pējōrāre, derivative of pējor worse]

pe•jo′ra•tive•ly, adv.

pejorative

Used to describe an expression that means something unpleasant or derogatory.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adj.

pejorative - expressing disapproval; "dyslogistic terms like `nitwit' and `scalawag'"

dislogistic, dyslogistic

uncomplimentary - tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage

pejorative

adjective derogatory, negative, slighting, unpleasant, belittling, disparaging, debasing, deprecatory, uncomplimentary, depreciatory, detractive, detractory He used the word in a pejorative sense.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

pejorative

adjective

Tending or intending to belittle:

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

Translations

pejorativnípejorativum

pejorativPejorativum

peyorativo despectivo

péjoratif péjorative

peggiorativo

denigrerendkleinerendpejoratief

peiorativ

pejorative

[pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv] ADJ → peyorativo, despectivo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

pejorative

[pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv] adj → péjoratif/ive

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

pejorative

adj, pejoratively

adv → pejorativ, abwertend, abschätzig

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pejorative

[pɪˈdʒɒrɪtɪv] adj → spregiativo/a, peggiorativo/a

References in periodicals archive ?

Suggesting that the doctrine of 'continuing revelation' could be translated as 'making it up as you go along', and a comparison made between his belief in angels and his opposition to Scottish independence, was a pejorative reference to his own faith, said the MP.

Newspaper watchdog rejects MP's complaint; 'Disappointed'by IPSO ruling

This is a badge of honour in some circles but often has pejorative connotations.

Trading titles; LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The situation is worst in most of the public institutions but even in private schools its very derogatory, pejorative and depreciative.

Crying for justice

Using the violent protesters (who did not belong to the TLYR), the media has been painting the movement in pejorative context and then extending the debate to question 295C (the blasphemy law).'

'Ulema must be heard during Aasia retrial'

We need a more nuanced analysis than the fashionable pejorative "cultural appropriation" implies.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I felt hot when I read this -- no, not a flush -- just a sense a rage that once again the word menopausal has been routinely used as a pejorative.

Society still has it all wrong when it comes to the menopause; Bank of England deputy governor Ben Broadbent's use of the term to describe the economy shows this preposterous notion still exists

I felt hot when I read this - no, not a flush - just a sense a rage that once again the word menopausal has been routinely used as a pejorative.

Menopause as metaphor is crass, women are not just wombs on legs; It's high time women were valued for more than their fertility - Carolyn Hitt is vexed by the sexist pejorative

But it is now understood the governing body is also aware of three tweets he apparently sent in 2012 and 2013 that contain pejorative terms for gay men, and it may launch a formal investigation.

Holgate may face probe over alleged homophobic tweets

Being a member of the Scheduled Caste, I feel very pained and hurt due to an insulting statement made by Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty." The FIR comes a day after members of the Valmiki community in Rajasthan filed a complaint against the star in Jaipur for using the pejorative word.

FIR lodged against Salman, Shilpa for hurting caste sentiments

A few morning shows of the film were however disrupted in many cinema halls across Rajasthan after members of the Valmiki community raised slogans, tore and burnt posters of the film over the alleged use of a pejorative word by Khan during a promotional event.

'Tiger Zinda Hai' roars at the box office

Justin Welby, the fortmer Bishop of Durham, called for a "ceasefire" on the use of insults, "personalised attacks" and "pejorative terms" as the process of leaving the European Union continues.

Ceasefire needed in Brexit war of words

His pejorative language describing the EU as "evil leeches" does not advance his argument one inch.