pejorative meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

pejorative

adj

UK /pɪˈd͡ʒɒɹətɪv/ · US /pɪˈd͡ʒoɹətɪv/

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

Disparaging, belittling or derogatory.

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.2026 February 13, Nathan Taylor Pemberton, “When Posting Becomes Its Own Style of Politics”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 14 Feb 2026:

Synonyms: derogatory, dyslogistic, disrespectful
Antonyms: ameliorative, approbative, eulogistic, meliorative
Derived terms: nonpejorative, pejoratively, pejorativeness, pejorativization, unpejorative

pejorative

noun

A disparaging, belittling, or derogatory word or expression.

“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.”2023 October 12, Edgar Momplaisir, “A Few Badgeys More” (15:59 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4, episode 7, spoken by Logic-y (Jack McBrayer):

Synonyms: dyslogism, dysphemism
Antonyms: approvative, euphemism