contempt
English · Thesaurus
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contempt
- /kənˈtɛmpt/
Rhymes with -ɛmpt
Where it comes from
From Latin contemptus (“scorn”), from contemnō (“to scorn, despise”), from com- + temnō (“to despise”). Displaced native Old English forsewennes.
noun contempts · cōtempt · cõtempt
- 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.
- The state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace.
- 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.
- Ellipsis of contempt factor
Similar: contempt, despect, despiciency, despisal, despisement, disdain, scorn · Opposite: honor, respect, reverence, sympathy, veneration
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: scorn, disdain, disrespect, spite, derision, disgrace, affront, loathing, insulting, insult, abuse, outrage, flouting, libel, stigma, humiliation
noun
Similar: contempt, despect, despiciency, despisal, despisement, disdain, scorn · Opposite: honor, respect, reverence, sympathy, veneration
Translations
Every language
noun a feeling or attitude
| Español | desprecio, desdén |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 경멸 gyeongmyeol |
| 日本語 | 軽蔑 keibetsu, 軽侮 keibu, 侮蔑 bubetsu |
| 中文 | 鄙夷 bǐyí, 鄙薄 bǐbó, 鄙視 /鄙视 bǐshì, 輕視 /轻视 qīngshì |
| हिन्दी | अवमानना avmānnā |
| Português | desprezo, desdém, contempto |
| Français | mépris, contemnement, contemption |
| Deutsch | Verachtung |
| Italiano | disprezzo |
| Ελληνικά | περιφρόνηση perifrónisi, καταφρόνηση katafrónisi |
| Română | dispreț |
| Русский | презре́ние prezrénije, пренебреже́ние prenebrežénije |
| العربية | اِحْتِقَار iḥtiqār, اِزْدِرَاء izdirāʔ |
| עברית | בּוּז buz |
noun a state of being despised or dishonored
| Español | desgracia, deshonra, vergüenza |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 軽蔑 keibetsu |
| Deutsch | Schande, Blamage |
| Ελληνικά | περιφρόνηση perifrónisi |
| Русский | позо́р pozór, бесче́стие besčéstije |
noun law: open disrespect or willful disobedience of the authority
| Español | desacato |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | अवमानना avmānnā |
| Português | desacato |
| Français | outrage |
| Deutsch | Mißachtung, Beamtenbeleidigung |
| Ελληνικά | περιφρόνηση perifrónisi |
| Русский | неуваже́ние neuvažénije |
Talk about this word "contempt." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/contempt. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. contempt. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/contempt "contempt." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/contempt.Cite this
@misc{contempt_2026,
title = {contempt},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/contempt},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
