pejoration

[ pej-uh-rey-shuhn, pee-juh- ]

noun

1. depreciation; a lessening in worth, quality, etc.
2. Historical Linguistics. semantic change in a word to a lower, less approved, or less respectable meaning. Compare melioration ( def 1 ).

pejoration

/ ˌpiːdʒəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. linguistics semantic change whereby a word acquires unfavourable connotations Compare amelioration

   the English word ``silly'' changed its meaning from ``holy'' or ``happy'' by pejoration

2. the process of worsening; deterioration

Word History and Origins

Origin of pejoration¹

1650–60; < Medieval Latin pējōrātiōn- (stem of pējōrātiō ) a making worse, equivalent to Late Latin pējōrāt ( us ) (past participle of pējōrāre to make worse, derivative of pējor worse) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

I hope that these baths may arrest the disagreeable tendency to pejoration from which I have suffered in the past year.

From Project Gutenberg