A deprecating attitude, gesture, or remark shows that you think that something is not very good, especially something associated with yourself. Erica made a little deprecating shrug. + deprecatingly dep·re·cat·ing·ly He speaks deprecatingly of his father as a lonely man
tending to diminish or disparage; "belittling comments"; "managed a deprecating smile at the compliment"; "deprecatory remarks about the book"; "a slighting remark"
If you deprecate something, you criticize it. He deprecated the low quality of entrants to the profession. to strongly disapprove of or criticize something (deprecari , from precari )
To pray against, as an evil; to seek to avert by prayer; to desire the removal of; to seek deliverance from; to express deep regret for; to disapprove of strongly
If you describe someone's behaviour as self-deprecating, you mean that they criticize themselves or represent themselves as foolish in a light-hearted way. Sharon tells the story of that night with self-deprecating humour. trying to make your own abilities or achievements seem unimportant