— denigration , n. — denigrative , adj. — denigrator , n. — denigratory /den"i greuh tawr'ee, -tohr'ee/ , adj.
/den"i grayt'/ , v.t., denigrated, denigrating .
1. to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone's character.
2. to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage: to denigrate someone's contributions to a project.
3. to make black; blacken: rain clouds denigrating the sky.
[ 1520-30; denigratus (ptp. of denigrare to blacken), equiv. to de- DE- + nigr ( are ) to make black + -atus -ATE 1 ]
Syn. 1. malign, besmirch, slander, traduce, disparage, vilify. See decry .