derogation

/ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/

//ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"derogation" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“derogation” is uncommon English (frequency #88,265 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#88,265
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An act which belittles; disparagement.

Key facts for derogation
PropertyValue
Headwordderogation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#88,265
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “derogation” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). derogation lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

derogation is uncommon English at frequency #88,265 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for derogation in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French derogacion (French dérogation), from Latin dērogātiō. The correct English form is derogation, spelled D-E-R-O-G-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An act which belittles; disparagement.
  2. 2
    The act of derogating; the temporary or partial nullification of a law.

Etymology

From Old French derogacion (French dérogation), from Latin dērogātiō.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "derogation"?
"derogation" is spelled D-E-R-O-G-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/.
What does "derogation" mean?
As a noun, "derogation" means: An act which belittles; disparagement.
How do you pronounce "derogation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "derogation" is /ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "derogation"?
From Old French derogacion (French dérogation), from Latin dērogātiō. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “derogation”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-R-O-G-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list