Vilipend

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

vilipend
    v 1: belittle; "The teacher should not deprecate his student's
         efforts" [syn: {deprecate}, {depreciate}, {vilipend}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Vilipend \Vil"i*pend\, v. t. [L. vilipendere; vilis vile +
   pendere to weigh, to value: cf. F. vilipender.]
   To value lightly; to depreciate; to slight; to despise.
   [1913 Webster]

         To vilipend the art of portrait painting. --Longfellow.
   [1913 Webster]