Prerogative, derogative, and interrogative all seem to have the root "rogative" (or perhaps it's not a root at all) and I'm wondering what it means. I was having trouble seeing a connection between the three words. For assistance, here are their dictionary definitions:
Prerogative: A right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class.
Derogative: Intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value.
Interrogative: Having or conveying the force of a question.
The Latin root rog means "ask" (as in the Latin rogare), but that seems to explain only interrogative and not the other two. Is there a connection between all three them involving "rogative," or is it just a coincidence that they have the same pattern?
Best Answer
Yes: the root is ultmately rogare, "ask".
Interrogative: asking at intervals, or between people.
Prerogative: this comes from Latin, "to be asked first" and connotes privilege.
Derogative: this means partial abrogation. Abrogation comes directly from a Latin root abrogare "to repeal, to disregard, ignore, repudiate, to cancel, revoke, to take away" (OED). This is how [for example] the UK can implement a derogation from European Union law: it disregards the undesirable part of it.
The meaning of derogative in the sense of "belittling" is an extension of this, detracting from or disregarding reputation.