In literature, the term "pejorative" is deployed to signal disparagement and a sense of contempt aimed at a subject. It is used to describe words or phrases that diminish or insult—ranging from a dismissive label for a computer salesperson ([1]) to a criticism of the way a particular word is pronounced ([2]). Sometimes it appears in contexts that are casually self-referential ([3]), yet in other uses it underscores a more forceful denigration of ideas or people, as when it conveys a loss of reputation or respect ([4], [5]). The term also functions to mark subtle social bias, such as in the negative connotation attached to referring to someone as "elderly" ([6]), illustrating its capacity to color language with layers of evaluative judgment.