derogatory
adj.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.
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.
Borrowed from Late Latin dērogātōrius, from Latin dērogō; corresponding to derogate + -ory.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Typically used attributively before a noun like 'remark', 'comment', or 'term'.
Last updated May 7, 2026