derogation

/ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/

//ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən// noun

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

The verdict

“derogation” is uncommon English (frequency #88,265 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#88,265
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An act which belittles; disparagement.

Corpus desk

Index EN-derogation · derogation · English

derogation · rank #88,265 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #88,265
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH demonise

Nearest frequency peer: demonise (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “derogation”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “derogation” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for derogation
PropertyValue
Headwordderogation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#88,265
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “derogation” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).derogationfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “demonise” (#88,263), “destructiveness” (#88,267), “Dhillon” (#88,268). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “derogation” is #88,265. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

derogation is uncommon English at frequency #88,265 among 3,470 “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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how derogation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Always have the greatest excesses and the most reprehensible practices been committed when backed up by or given the sanction of religion. But all this represents no derogation of the original phallic cult per se. It merely proves that the gods have always been what we have made them.
  2. Two sets of Mk. 2 coaches hauled by Class 37s were introduced on peak Rhymney services during the summer. The coaches do not comply with the Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) standards and would therefore need a derogation to continue in passenger service after 31 December.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "derogation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list