Derogatory means expressing a low opinion of someone or something in a way that's insulting or disrespectful. When someone makes a derogatory remark about another person, they're putting them down or treating them as less worthy of respect.

You might hear someone use a derogatory nickname for a classmate, choosing words that mock or belittle them instead of using their real name. Derogatory comments about someone's appearance, abilities, or background are meant to make that person feel small or ashamed. Sometimes people make derogatory remarks about entire groups of people, which is particularly harmful because it dismisses many individuals at once.

Derogatory language takes away from someone's dignity or worth. When you call someone's work “trash” instead of offering constructive criticism, that's derogatory. When you use a mocking tone to imitate how someone speaks, that's derogatory.

Derogatory is different from honest disagreement or fair criticism. You can disagree with someone's idea and explain why without being derogatory about it. The key difference is respect: criticism can be respectful, but derogatory remarks never are.