derisory

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈraɪsəri/ UK /dɪˈraɪsəri/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
ridiculously small or inadequate; meriting derision

They offered a derisory sum for the priceless manuscript.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · ridiculously small or... ridiculous laughable paltry insulting contemptible derisive negligible

Opposites

generous substantial respectable adequate

Word family

Derived forms derisorily

Related forms deride derision derisive

Etymology

From Late Latin derisorius ('mocking'), from Latin derisor ('mocker'), from deridere ('to mock'), from de- ('down, away') plus ridere ('to laugh').

derisorius Latin ridere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# derisory

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈraɪsəri/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈraɪsəri/

## Meanings
1. ridiculously small or inadequate; meriting derision

## Examples
- They offered a derisory sum for the priceless manuscript.

## Synonyms
- ridiculous
- laughable
- paltry
- insulting
- contemptible
- derisive
- negligible

## Antonyms
- generous
- substantial
- respectable
- adequate

## Derived Forms
- derisorily

## Related Forms
- deride
- derision
- derisive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: derisorius
- Root: ridere

## Etymology
From Late Latin derisorius ('mocking'), from Latin derisor ('mocker'), from deridere ('to mock'), from de- ('down, away') plus ridere ('to laugh').

## AI Etymology
Derisory is from Late Latin derisorius ('mocking'), from Latin derisor ('mocker'), from deridere ('to mock'), from de- ('down, away') plus ridere ('to laugh'). The ancestry passes through Latin derisorius and Latin ridere. The prefix de- often marks removal, reversal, or downward motion in Latin formations, helping to explain the word's surface structure. In present use as an adjective, it means "ridiculously small or inadequate; meriting derision", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include deride, derision, and derisive; derived forms include derisorily.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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