Which phrase has a more negative connotation?
an employee an underling
Connotation is the feeling or idea that goes along with a word or phrase. Some words are close in meaning but have different connotations.
For example, think about the words eager and impatient. They both mean wanting something to happen, but they have different connotations.
Eager has a positive connotation. It is a nice word. An eager person is happy and excited.
Impatient has a negative connotation. It is not a nice word. An impatient person is often pushy and demanding.
An underling has a more negative connotation. Underling and employee both denote a person who works for someone else. However, employee is the standard term, while underling is an insulting term that emphasizes a person's lower status.