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Derogatory vs Detrimental - What's the difference?

derogatory | detrimental |

As adjectives the difference between derogatory and detrimental

is that derogatory is tending to derogate, or lessen in value of someone; expressing derogation; detracting; injurious while detrimental is causing damage or harm.

As a noun derogatory

is a trade-line on a credit report that includes negative credit history.

derogatory

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Tending to derogate, or lessen in value of someone; expressing derogation; detracting; injurious.
  • * (rfdate) (Blackstone).
    • Acts of Parliament derogatory from the power of subsequent Parliaments bind not.
  • * (rfdate) (Macaulay).
    • His language was severely censured by some of his brother peers as derogatory to their other.
  • (legal) When referring to a clause in a testament: a sentence of secret character inserted by the testator alone, of which he reserves the knowledge to himself, with a condition that no will he may make thereafter shall be valid, unless this clause is inserted word for word; – a precaution to guard against later wills extorted by violence, or obtained by suggestion. (rfd-sense)

    • Usage notes

    In common language, particularly used in the phrase “derogatory term”, equivalent to less common pejorative, and in “derogatory statements”, equivalent to more casual offensive.

    Derived terms

    * derogatory clause/clause derogatory

    Noun

    (derogatories)
  • A trade-line on a credit report that includes negative credit history.

    • Synonyms

    * pejorative

    Related terms

    * derogate * derogation

    External links

    * *

    detrimental

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Causing damage or harm.
    • Smoking tobacco can be detrimental to your health.

    Synonyms

    * (causing damage or harm) harmful, injurious; see also

    Antonyms

    * (causing damage or harm) beneficial

    Related terms

    * detriment

    External links

    * *