contempt

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
14
Words With Friends
18
Letters
8
Pronunciation
/kənˈtɛmpt/

Definition of contempt

4 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. (uncountable)The state or act of contemning; the feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn, disdain.
    “And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.”
    “Transport Minister Marples, meanwhile, used arrogant rhetoric and showed his personal contempt for railways when confirming in Parliament that a third of the network was to be closed even before the survey results were known.”
See all 4 definitions

noun

  1. (uncountable)The state or act of contemning; the feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn, disdain.
    “And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.”
    “Transport Minister Marples, meanwhile, used arrogant rhetoric and showed his personal contempt for railways when confirming in Parliament that a third of the network was to be closed even before the survey results were known.”
  2. (countable, uncountable)The state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace.
  3. (countable, uncountable)Open disrespect or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law or legislative body.
    “The panel voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend charging Mr. [Stephen K.] Bannon with criminal contempt of Congress for defying its subpoena, sending the issue to the House.”
    “Justice Merchan has yet to issue a ruling on whether to find Mr. Trump in contempt.”
  4. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable)Ellipsis of contempt factor.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Latin contemptus (“scorn”), from contemnō (“to scorn, despise”), from com- + temnō (“to despise”). Displaced native Old English forsewennes.

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

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