[den.i.grate] vt -grat.ed ; -grat.ing [L denigratus, pp. of denigrare, fr. de- + nigrare to blacken, fr. nigr-, niger black] (1526) 1: to cast aspersions on: defame
2: to deny the importance or validity of: belittle -- den.i.gra.tion n -- den.i.gra.tive adj -- den.i.gra.tor n -- den.i.gra.to.ry adj