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pejorative

 
Dictionary: pe·jor·a·tive   (pĭ-jôr'ə-tĭv, -jŏr'-, pĕj'ə-rā'tĭv, pē'jə-) pronunciation
 
adj.
  1. Tending to make or become worse.
  2. Disparaging; belittling.
n.

A disparaging or belittling word or expression.

pejoratively pe·jor'a·tive·ly adv.
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Antonyms: pejorative
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adj

Definition: negative, belittling
Antonyms: complimentary, positive, praising


 
Obscure Words: pejorate
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[fr. L. pejorare to become worse, make worse]  to make worse: depreciate
 
Word Tutor: pejorative
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Tending to demean or belittle. Also: A belittling or disparaging word or expression.

pronunciation Because, for example, the phrase "mass culture" is commonly perceived as carrying pejorative connotations, many of those who really enjoy it and write positively about it prefer to use the term "popular culture." — Michael Kammen

 
Wikipedia: Pejorative
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A pejorative (also term of abuse or term of disparagement), as a noun, means a word or phrase that implies disapproval or contempt and is meant to be insulting, impolite, or unkind: "A belittling or disparaging word or expression." When used as an adjective, pejorative is synonymous with derogatory, derisive, dyslogistic, and contemptuous. Standards of politeness limit the use of pejoratives.

Pejoratives are distinct from profanity, which refers to language that is considered rude; Pejoratives refer more to disapproval and not necessarily rudeness.

Sometimes a term may begin as a pejorative word and eventually be adopted in a non-pejorative sense. Big Bang, Quaker, Yankee, Okie, Tory and Whig, Ham radio, Christian, Methodist, Shaker, Unitarian, Sooner, and Liberal were originally slang insults but came to be used as non-pejorative standard words. In historical linguistics, this phenomenon is known as melioration, or amelioration, or semantic change. Sometimes a term is still considered as a pejorative word by some but not by others. In other cases, some groups have attempted to "reclaim" formerly offensive words applied against them (reclaimed word).

Ethnic slurs are one kind of category of pejorative. Such terms as pagan,[1][2][3] nigger,[4] nigga, spic, kike, redneck, cracker, spade, white trash, redskin, dyke, queer, fairy, faggot, tranny, douche bag, geek, nerd, retard, mamak, paki, chav, ginger, gook, cretin and cripple are widely considered pejorative.[5][6]

See also

References


 
Misspellings: pejorative
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Common misspelling(s) of pejorative

  • perjorative

 
Translations: Pejorative
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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - pejorativ (ord med nedsættende betydning)
n. - pejorativ

Nederlands (Dutch)
kleinerend, beledigend, een kleinerend/ beledigend woord

Français (French)
adj. - péjoratif
n. - mot péjoratif

Deutsch (German)
adj. - abwertend
n. - Pejorativum

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - μειωτικός, υποτιμητικός, περιφρονητικός
n. - μειωτικός όρος

Italiano (Italian)
peggiorativo

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - pejorativo
n. - termo pejorativo (m)

Русский (Russian)
уничижительный, пренебрежительный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - peyorativo, despectivo
n. - desprecio

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - nedsättande, pejorativ
n. - nedsättande ord

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
轻蔑的, 贬抑的, 轻蔑语

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 輕蔑的, 貶抑的
n. - 輕蔑語

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 개악하는, 비난의 뜻을 더하는
n. - 경멸어, 경멸 접미사

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 悪化させるような, 軽蔑的な
n. - 悪化語

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) تحقيري (الاسم) كلمه تحقيريه, إزدرائي, منقص من القدر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מזלזל, בעל נימת גנאי, מידרדר, משתנה לרעה‬
n. - ‮מילה מפחיתת-ערך‬


 
 
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