Crafty once meant powerful, and cunning meant knowledgeable; each has gradually taken on negative connotations (this is called pejoration). From Wordnik.com. [Catachresis and the amusing, awful and artificial cathedral] Reference
5 One of many structures of change is continued pejoration of words. From Wordnik.com. [Progress At Last] Reference
This is a customary Orthodox conclusion, and I mean no pejoration here. From Wordnik.com. [orrologion] Reference
I don't really care whose "fault" the pejoration may be, I just stay away. From Wordnik.com. [North Coast Journal Comments] Reference
In the United Kingdom the word is still often used in this sense, but it later underwent pejoration. From Wordnik.com. [WN.com - Business News] Reference
And semantic change was analyzed in terms of amelioration and pejoration, elevation and degradation. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol III No 2] Reference
Other words without necessary pejoration: fellow, literally ` fee-layer '; guest, replacing OE g (i) est; and ombudsman. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XI No 3] Reference
But now that The New York Times reporters use similes like "as devastated as the South Bronx," the process of pejoration has about hit bottom. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol II No 4] Reference
Terms such as toilet and lavatory have, like privy, undergone pejoration over the years (that is, their meanings have acquired depreciatory connotations). From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XIX No 4] Reference
The Norsemen were apparently as sexist as we are: all of the following, flag, giglet, gimmer, skit, and slattern generally mean ` low, contemptible woman '; only may ` maiden' has survived with specific reference to women without pejoration. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XI No 3] Reference
My own observation is that Informal might be undergoing its own round of pejoration -- these things sometimes go in cycles -- and, in a reference book I recently completed, which will be published by Oxford University Press in the autumn of 1991, I have chosen to return to Colloq. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XVII No 4] Reference
Although many articles, theoretical essays, and books have been written about metaphors, little effort has been made to investigate them systematically: as all of language is itself a metaphor (unless one believes in logomancy), one is continually confronted in the compilation of an ordinary dictionary with examples of semantic and linguistic changes (as well as amelioration, pejoration, etc.) that are tantamount to shifts of meaning that, loosely, could be said to be metaphoric. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XIX No 3] Reference
(in formal contexts) bearing the Colloquial label, the word colloquial began to undergo pejoration itself. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XVII No 4] Reference
I don't think you can really argue that the decision to use the word 'cunt' equates to pejoration of discourse, especially since it was used thereafter to make a witty pun that got lolz from me at least. From Wordnik.com. Reference
This phenomenon is called pejoration. From Wordnik.com. [Waldo Jaquith - The euphemism treadmill.] Reference
25, 22 (King James version) work well as illustrations of the pejoration of that word. From Wordnik.com. [VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol V No 1] Reference
LearnThatWord and the Open Dictionary of English are programs by LearnThat Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
Questions? Feedback? We want to hear from you!
Email us
or click here for instant support.
Copyright © 2005 and after - LearnThat Foundation. Patents pending.