pejoration

noun

pe·​jo·​ra·​tion

plural -s

: a change for the worse : depreciation

specifically : an historical process by which the semantic and connotative status of a word tends to decline compare melioration

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin pejoration-, pejoratio, from Late Latin pejoratus (past participle of pejorare to become worse, make worse) + Latin -ion-, -io -ion

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