derogate

verb

der·​o·​gate ˈder-ə-ˌgāt 

ˈde-rə-

derogated; derogating

transitive verb

: to cause to seem inferior : disparage

derogating another's achievements

intransitive verb

1

: to take away a part so as to impair : detract

… a few instances of inaccuracy or mediocrity can never derogate from the superlative merit of Homer and Vergil …

—Oliver Goldsmith

2

: to act beneath one's position or character

derogation

ˌder-ə-ˈgā-shən 

ˌde-rə-

noun

derogative

di-ˈrä-gə-tiv 

adjective

Did you know?

Most of us encounter derogatory, the adjective meaning "expressing a low opinion," more frequently than we do derogate, its less common verb relation, but the verb is older; it first appeared in English in the 15th century, while derogatory wasn't adopted until the early 16th. Both words can be traced back to the Late Latin word derogatus, which is the past participle of the verb derogare, meaning "to detract" or "to annul (a law)." Derogare, in turn, derives from the Latin word for "ask," rogāre. Other derogate relatives include derogative, derogation, and derogatorily.

Synonyms

• dismiss
• minimize
• diminish
• disparage
• criticize
• denigrate

Examples of derogate in a Sentence

The title of the book derogates the people it is about.

Her parents are constantly derogating her achievements.

Recent Examples on the Web

Recent nonexperimental studies suggest that women are intolerant of attractive females and use indirect aggression to derogate potential rivals. —Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2013

The key issue is who has the final authority to determine whether the play derogates the spirit or alters the characters. —Jack Greiner, Cincinnati.com, 28 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin derogatus, past participle of derogare, from Latin, to annul (a law), detract, from de- + rogare to ask, propose (a law) — more at right

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing derogate

• derogate from

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