Derogatory, depreciatory, depreciative, disparaging, slighting, pejorative mean designed or tending to belittle.
Derogatory may be used of one’s own action or activity that tends to detract from his reputation or to lower him in the estimation of others.
More often the term is applied to expressions or modes of expression (as choice of words or tone of voice) and then implies an intent to detract or belittle by suggesting something that is discreditable.
Depreciatory and depreciative are used chiefly of something written or spoken that tends to lower a thing in value or in status.
They often also describe words or modes of using words that bear connotations tending to discredit or to bring into discredit the person or thing referred to.
Disparaging definitely implies an intent to depreciate usually by the use of oblique and indirect methods. The term suggests an attempt to make little of or to discourage by belittling and often carries a clearer implication of intentional detraction than derogatory and of resulting undervaluing than depreciatory or depreciative.
Slighting applies to anything that may convey or imply a slight or indicate the little respect in which one is held by the speaker; it sometimes implies disparagement but, more often, indifference or disdain.
Pejorative is nearly equal to depreciatory or depreciative in meaning.
It is used especially in reference to words which have acquired a later and baser meaning or to derogatory words formed from another word or root by the addition of a suffix or prefix that gives them a derogatory twist.