Word
derogatory
Phoneticsderoga·to·ry
US/dɝˈɑɡəˌtɔɹi/
UK/dɪɹˈɒɡətəɹˌi/
Definition
adj. showing a lack of respect or a low opinion of someone or something. You use this to describe language that is meant to insult or hurt someone's reputation.
adj. expressing a low opinion or lack of respect; intended to disparage or belittle the subject. Often used to describe remarks, comments, or language in professional and legal contexts.
Examples
“He was fired for making derogatory comments about his coworkers.”
“The HR department investigated the manager after several employees reported his derogatory remarks during the team meeting.”
“In legal disputes regarding defamation, the court must determine whether the statements were merely critical or truly derogatory enough to damage the plaintiff's professional standing.”
Examples
simple
“He was fired for making derogatory comments about his coworkers.”
contextual
“The HR department investigated the manager after several employees reported his derogatory remarks during the team meeting.”
complex
“In legal disputes regarding defamation, the court must determine whether the statements were merely critical or truly derogatory enough to damage the plaintiff's professional standing.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun like 'remark', 'comment', or 'term'.
Real-World Examples
“Evangelos Marinakis has launched legal action against Crystal Palace after some of their fans produced a derogatory banner about the Forest owner.” “In the chargesheet, the CBI said its investigation showed that after their marriage, Samarth subjected Twisha to mental cruelty on several occasions and repeatedly used derogatory terms towards her.” Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin dērogātōrius, from Latin dērogō; corresponding to derogate + -ory.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/derogatory