/ ˈdenɪgreɪt; NAmE / verb
[ vn ] ( formal ) to criticize sb/sth unfairly; to say sb/sth does not have any value or is not important
SYN belittle :
I didn't intend to denigrate her achievements.
► deni·gra·tion / ˌdenɪˈgreɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense blacken, make dark ): from Latin denigrat- blackened, from the verb denigrare , from de- away, completely + nigrare (from niger black).