derogatus

Derogatus is a Latin term used as the masculine form of the perfect passive participle of the verb derogare, meaning something that has been derogated, withdrawn, reduced, or dispensed with. The word functions as an adjective and, in some contexts, as a substantive referring to a thing that has been derogated. The related feminine and neuter forms are derogata and derogatum, and the word appears in classical and medieval Latin texts to describe laws, privileges, rights, or rules that have been revoked or diminished by authority.

Etymology and grammar: Derogatus derives from derogare, a verb built with de- (down, away) and rogare (to ask or propose), in the sense of removing or withdrawing a provision. As a participle, derogatus agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies, and it can appear in various syntactic functions depending on the author and period. In scholarly Latin usage, it is often found in legal, ecclesiastical, or rhetorical passages where a statute or privilege is described as having been derogated.

Usage in context: In legal or canonical Latin, derogatus may modify a law, rule, or privilege to indicate its alteration or revocation. In modern English-language discussions, derogatus is mostly of historical or linguistic interest and is typically encountered in translations, glosses, or analyses of Latin texts rather than as active terminology.

Relation to related terms: The root also yields the English derivatives derogate, derogation, and derogatory. These terms share the same origin but are used with different grammatical functions and contemporary meanings. See also: Derogation; Derogate; Derogatory.