pejorative

From Late Latin peiōrātus (“worsened”, past participle of peiōrāre (“worsen”), from Latin peior (“worse”)) +‎ -ive.^[1] Compare French péjoratif (“depreciative, disparaging”). By surface analysis, pejorate +‎ -ive.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɪˈd͡ʒɒɹətɪv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɪˈd͡ʒoɹətɪv/; (uncommon) IPA^(key): /pɪˈd͡ʒɑɹ.ə.tɪv/^[2]
  • (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /pəˈd͡ʒoɹətəv/

• Audio (UK):

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pejorative (comparative more pejorative, superlative most pejorative)

1. Disparaging, belittling or derogatory. [from 1882]^[1]
   • 2026 February 13, Nathan Taylor Pemberton, “When Posting Becomes Its Own Style of Politics”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN, archived from the original on 14 February 2026:

     These days, on platforms like X, slopulism is a pejorative label often applied to posts by politicians and pundits alike, anyone who shares out lowest-common-denominator ideas designed to appeal to loyal political bases.

• derogatory
• dyslogistic
• disrespectful

• ameliorative
• approbative
• eulogistic
• meliorative

pejorative (plural pejoratives)

1. A disparaging, belittling, or derogatory word or expression.
   • 2023 October 12, Edgar Momplaisir, “A Few Badgeys More” (15:59 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks‎^[2], season 4, episode 7, spoken by Logic-y (Jack McBrayer):

     “Get away from me, freak.” “Actually, my designation is Logic-y. I take issue with the pejorative when I am simply a product of your self-inflicted bifurcation.”

• dyslogism
• dysphemism

• approvative
• euphemism

• “pejorative”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “pejorative”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.