pejorative

UK/pɪˈd͡ʒɒɹətɪv/US/pɪˈd͡ʒoɹətɪv/

adjectiveC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #14,231 of 15,258leans written

Pejorative means expressing disapproval by the word chosen. A pejorative term, used pejoratively, not meant pejoratively.

It names the judgement built into a word rather than the statement made with it, which is why calling a term pejorative is an argument about vocabulary. It may be said with the stress on the first or the second syllable.

Definitions of pejorative

1adjectivepejorativeExpressing disapproval by the word chosen.C1
“The word bureaucrat is often used in a pejorative way.”

pejorative is a quality.

Where it comes from

Latin peiorare means to make worse, from peior, worse.

Proto-Indo-European
*ped-
Latin
peior — worse
English, today
pejorative

Built from

peiōrāre · Latin — worsen

From peiōrātus + ive. Compare French péjoratif (“depreciative, disparaging”). by surface analysis, pejorate + -ive.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

pejorative in the wild

A script kiddie, skript kiddie, skiddie, kiddie, or skid is a pejorative for an unskilled individual who uses malicious scripts or programs developed by others.
Script kiddie
Since the 1980s, a new, pejorative use became prevalent in some parts of the world.
Gay
Many pejorative terms for Germans in various countries originated during the two World Wars.
List of terms used for Germans
Wop is a pejorative term for Italians or people of Italian descent.
Wop
Schmuck, or shmuck, is a pejorative term meaning one who is stupid or foolish, or an obnoxious, contemptible or detestable person.
Schmuck (pejorative)

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

the peior family

impair pejorative

pejorative — used about once every 41,009 pages · #14,231 · point at the bar for the others

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