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denigration

 - 3 dictionary results

den⋅i⋅grate

  [den-i-greyt]
Use denigration in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -grat⋅ed, -grat⋅ing.
1. to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone's character.
2. to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage: to denigrate someone's contributions to a project.
3. to make black; blacken: rain clouds denigrating the sky.
Origin:
1520–30; < L dēnigrātus (ptp. of dēnigrāre to blacken), equiv. to dē- de- + nigr(āre) to make black + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
den⋅i⋅gra⋅tion, noun
den⋅i⋅gra⋅tive, adjective
den⋅i⋅gra⋅tor, noun
den⋅i⋅gra⋅to⋅ry  [den-i-gruh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective

Synonyms:
1. malign, besmirch, slander, traduce, disparage, vilify. See decry.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To denigration
den·i·grate   (děn'ĭ-grāt')   
tr.v.   den·i·grat·ed, den·i·grat·ing, den·i·grates

  1. To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame.

  2. To disparage; belittle: The critics have denigrated our efforts.


[Latin dēnigrāre, dēnigrāt-, to blacken, defame : dē-, de- + niger, nigr-, black; see nekw-t- in Indo-European roots.]
den'i·gra'tion n., den'i·gra'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

denigrate 
1526, from L. denigratus, pp. of denigrare "to blacken, defame," from de- "completely" + nigr-, stem of niger "black," of unknown origin. "Apparently disused in 18th c. and revived in 19th c." [OED].
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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