Word
pejorative
Phoneticspe·jo·ra·tive
US/pəˈdʒɔɹətɪv/
UK/pədʒˈɒɹətˌɪv/
Definition
adj. describing a word that is used to show you dislike or look down on someone. It is often an insult or a negative name for a group of people.
adj. expressing contempt or disapproval; intended to belittle or insult. Often describes a term used to denote a social group in a derogatory manner.
Examples
“The word is a pejorative for people who do not work.”
“The term was originally a neutral description but became a pejorative over time as it was used to mock the group.”
“Linguists often study how a pejorative can eventually be reclaimed by the community it was meant to insult, transforming from a slur into a symbol of pride.”
Examples
simple
“The word is a pejorative for people who do not work.”
contextual
“The term was originally a neutral description but became a pejorative over time as it was used to mock the group.”
complex
“Linguists often study how a pejorative can eventually be reclaimed by the community it was meant to insult, transforming from a slur into a symbol of pride.”
Real-World Examples
“Untrusting, unhappy, annoyed, betrayed, toxic, broken, unmendable, etcetera: choose your pejorative when it comes to describing how most Manchester United fans feel about the Glazers.” Etymology
From Late Latin peiōrātus (“worsened”, past participle of peiōrāre (“worsen”), from Latin peior (“worse”)) + -ive. Compare French péjoratif (“depreciative, disparaging”). By surface analysis, pejorate + -ive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/pejorative