pejoration
[ pej-uh-rey-shuh n, pee-juh- ]
/ ˌpɛdʒ əˈreɪ ʃən, ˌpi dʒə- /
noun
depreciation; a lessening in worth, quality, etc.
Historical Linguistics.
semantic change in a word to a lower, less approved, or less respectable meaning.
Compare melioration(def 1).
Origin of pejoration
1650–60; < Medieval Latin
pējōrātiōn- (stem of
pējōrātiō) a making worse, equivalent to Late Latin
pējōrāt(us) (past participle of
pējōrāre to make worse, derivative of
pējor worse) +
-iōn-
-ion
Words nearby pejoration
Example sentences from the Web for pejoration
I hope that these baths may arrest the disagreeable tendency to pejoration from which I have suffered in the past year.
The Letters of William James, Vol. II |William James
British Dictionary definitions for pejoration
pejoration
/ (ˌpiːdʒəˈreɪʃən) /
noun
linguistics
semantic change whereby a word acquires unfavourable connotations
the English word ``silly'' changed its meaning from ``holy'' or ``happy'' by pejoration Compare amelioration (def. 3)
the process of worsening; deterioration