pejorative

[ pi-jawr-uh-tiv, -jor-, pej-uh-rey-, pee-juh- ]
/ pɪˈdʒɔr ə tɪv, -ˈdʒɒr-, ˈpɛdʒ əˌreɪ-, ˈpi dʒə- /

adjective

having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or force: the pejorative affix -ling in princeling.

noun

a pejorative form or word, as poetaster.

Origin of pejorative

1880–85; < Latin pējōrāt(us) (see pejoration) + -ive

SYNONYMS FOR pejorative

1 deprecatory.

OTHER WORDS FROM pejorative

Words nearby pejorative

peipus, peiraeus, peiraievs, peirce, pejoration, pejorative, pekan, peke, pekepoo, pekin, peking

British Dictionary definitions for non-pejorative

pejorative
/ (pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv, ˈpiːdʒər-) /

adjective

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

noun

a pejorative word, expression, etc

Derived forms of pejorative

pejoratively, adverb

Word Origin for pejorative

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