PEJORATION


Meaning of PEJORATION in English

/pej'euh ray"sheuhn, pee'jeuh-/ , n.

1. depreciation; a lessening in worth, quality, etc.

2. Historical Ling. semantic change in a word to a lower, less approved, or less respectable meaning. Cf. melioration (def. 1).

[ 1650-60; pejoration- (s. of pejoratio ) a making worse, equiv. to LL pejorat ( us ) (ptp. of pejorare to make worse, deriv. of pejor worse) + -ion- -ION ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .