1 : seeking to avert disapproval : apologetic. 2 : serving to deprecate : disapproving.
What is a deprecatory gesture?
from The Century Dictionary.
Serving or intended to deprecate or avert some threatened evil or action; characterized by entreaty or protest intended to avert something evil or painful.
What does it mean to disparage someone?
: meant to belittle the value or importance of someone or something : serving or intended to disparage someone or something a disparaging term/word …