derogatory

/dɪˈɹɒɡətɹi/

//dɪˈɹɒɡətɹi// adj

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

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

The verdict

“derogatory” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,182. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,182
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Disparaging.

Corpus desk

Index EN-derogatory · derogatory · English

derogatory · rank #21,182 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #21,182
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH denounce

Nearest frequency peer: denounce (-1 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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “derogatory”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “derogatory” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for derogatory
PropertyValue
Headwordderogatory
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈɹɒɡətɹi/
Letters10
Frequency rank#21,182
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “derogatory”

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “denounce” (#21,181), “diagnoses” (#21,183), “deceit” (#21,179). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “derogatory” is #21,182. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around derogatory (IPA /dɪˈɹɒɡətɹi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #21,182 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for derogatory, with forms such as "dderogatory", "deorgatory", and "dergoatory". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin dērogātōrius, from Latin dērogō; corresponding to derogate + -ory. The correct English form is derogatory, spelled D-E-R-O-G-A-T-O-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Disparaging.
  2. 2
    Tending to derogate
  3. 3
    Tending to derogate:
  4. 4
    Tending to derogate:
  5. 5
    Being or pertaining to a derogatory clause.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. It was perfectly plain, that fast and far as scandal flies, Lady Anne's words, when derogatory to the Count, and that beloved wife, for whose sake they would have been most resented, had never reached their retreat in Devonshire, much less followed them to distant Italy.
  2. The Tories […] knew that […] the House which should be the first to come to a resolution would have a great advantage over the other. […] The Commons had determined that, on Monday the twenty-eighth of January, they would take into consideration the state of the nation. The Tory Lords therefore proposed, on Friday the twenty-fifth, to enter instantly on t…

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin dērogātōrius, from Latin dērogō; corresponding to derogate + -ory.

Antonyms

honorificlaudatory

This word in other languages

denigrante(Español)péjoratif(Français)abwertend(Deutsch)depreciativo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • dderogatory
  • deorgatory
  • dergoatory
  • deroagtory
  • derogaotry
  • derogatorry
  • derogatoryy
  • derogatoyr
  • derogatroy
  • derogattory
  • deroggatory
  • derogtaory
  • derrogatory
  • dreogatory
  • edrogatory

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of derogatory - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

dderogatory1deorgatory2dergoatory2deroagtory2derogaotry2derogatorry1derogatoryy1derogatoyr2
Edit distance from "derogatory"

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 "derogatory"?
"derogatory" is spelled D-E-R-O-G-A-T-O-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈɹɒɡətɹi/.
What does "derogatory" mean?
As an adjective, "derogatory" means: Disparaging.
What are common misspellings of "derogatory"?
Common misspellings include "dderogatory", "deorgatory", "dergoatory", "deroagtory", "derogaotry". The correct spelling is "derogatory".
How do you pronounce "derogatory"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "derogatory" is /dɪˈɹɒɡətɹi/. 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 "derogatory"?
Borrowed from Late Latin dērogātōrius, from Latin dērogō; corresponding to derogate + -ory. 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 "derogatory", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

disrupting#21,187contrasted#21,172consensual#21,170embroidery#21,198

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

Fahrenheit15 variantsCarmichael15 variantsbranching15 variantsbittersweet15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list