denigrate
/ˈdɛn.ɪ.ɡɹeɪ̯t/ verb, adjective
Forms denigrates denigrating denigrated
- verb To criticize so as to besmirch; traduce, disparage or defame.
- verb To treat as worthless; belittle, degrade or disparage. “You have no right to denigrate people and things that you have no personal experience with.”
- verb (literal, rare) To blacken.
- adjective (botany) Blackened.
Synonyms
badmouth besmirch slander assassinate asperse backbite befoul belibel besmear bewray blacken blame blaze blemish blot blur calumniate calumny chat shit chat shite minimize belittle derogate defame smirch smear sully
Etymology
Derived from Latin dēnigrātus, the perfect passive participle of dēnigrō (“to blacken”) [see -ate (verb-forming suffix)], from dē- (“of; from”) + nigrō (“to blacken”) [from niger (“black”)]. Cognate with Middle English denigart(e) (“darkened, discolored”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To blacken thoroughly; to make very black. Boyle.
- verb Fig.: To blacken or sully; to defame. [R.]
Etymology [L. denigrare; de- + nigrare to blacken, niger black.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “denigrate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details