Basic Details
Word: Derogatory
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Showing a low opinion of someone or something; insulting.
Synonyms: insulting, disrespectful, belittling, offensive
Antonyms: complimentary, flattering, respectful
How to Spell Derogatory
Syllables: de - rog - a - to - ry
Tricky part: The vowel after rog is a, and the ending is ory. Students write derogetory or derogatary, and some double the r.
Watch out for: derogetory, derogatary, derrogatory
Memory tip: An alligator, a gator for short, hides inside derogatory: dero + gator + y.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The umpire warned the bowler for making derogatory remarks to the batsman.
Example 2: Calling a classmate stupid is derogatory and hurtful.
Example 3: The company removed the advertisement after people complained that it was derogatory to women.
Fun Fact
Derogatory comes from the Latin derogare, which meant to cancel part of a law; a derogatory remark takes something away from a person's worth.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to derogatory as used in the sentence:
The coach was suspended for making derogatory comments about a young player's accent.
a) insulting
b) complimentary
c) careless
d) offensive
Show answer
b) complimentary. Derogatory remarks insult; complimentary ones praise.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
der_g_t_ry
a) o, e, o
b) o, a, o
c) o, a, a
d) a, a, o
Show answer
b) o, a, o. The word runs de-r-o-g-a-t-o-ry: o, then a, then o.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Posting tyaogrored comments about classmates online can get a student suspended.
a) dormitory
b) depository
c) derogation
d) derogatory
Show answer
d) derogatory. Only derogatory uses exactly these ten letters; derogation needs an i and an n, depository a p and an s, and dormitory an m and an i.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a derogatory comment?
a) "Well done on your project."
b) "Please pass the salt."
c) "The bus is late again."
d) "You run like an old buffalo."
Show answer
d) "You run like an old buffalo."
2. Derogatory is closest in meaning to ____.
a) derived
b) encouraging
c) descriptive
d) belittling
Show answer
d) belittling
