pejorative
expressing disapproval or negativity
Roots
Other words with the pejor root
- impair: to weaken, damage, or make worse
- pejoration: a shift toward a more negative meaning
Pejor means worse: pejorative language makes something sound worse.
Calling the idea childish gave the sentence a pejorative edge.
From Latin peior, "worse." A pejorative shift often marks language that pushes meaning in a more negative direction.