insult
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insult
- /ɪnˈsʌlt/ US, UK
- /ɪnˈsɒlt/
- /ˈɪnsʌlt/
- /ˈɪnsɒlt/
Rhymes with -ʌlt
Where it comes from
The verb is derived from Middle French insulter (modern French insulter (“to insult”)) or its etymon Latin īnsultō (“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”), the frequentative form of īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + saliō (“to bound, jump, leap; to spring forth; to flow down”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (“to spring”)).
The noun is derived from Middle French insult (modern French insulte (“insult”)) or its etymon Late Latin insultus (“insult, reviling, scoffing”), from īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”); see above.
verb insults · insulting · insulted
-
To be insensitive, insolent, or rude to (somebody); to affront or demean (someone).
- Marvel owns your gods!
- Insulting is not arguing.
Similar: disrespect, affront, disgrace, slander, discourtesy, offense · Opposite: compliment
- To assail, assault, or attack; (specifically, military) to carry out an assault, attack, or onset without preparation. Giue me thy knife, I will inſult on him, Flattering my ſelfes, as if it were the Moore, Come hither purpoſely to poyſon me.
- To behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (against or over someone). And doe you ſe how he inſulteth ouer me, as though hee had gotten a great aduantage, and how hee taketh heere his reuenge vpon me, for the ſhipwracke hee ſuffered before, in the matter of his ſyllogyſme?
- To leap or trample upon. So looks the pent-vp Lyon o're the Wretch, / That trembles vnder his deuouring Pawes: / And ſo he walkes, inſulting o're his Prey, / And ſo he comes, to rend his Limbes aſunder.
noun insults
-
Action or form of speech deliberately intended to be rude; (countable) a particular act or statement having this effect.
Preſent we meet thy ſneaking treacherous ſmiles;
The harmleſs abſent ſtill thy ſneer reviles;
Such as in thee all parts ſuperior find,
The ſneer that marks the fool and knave combin'd;
When melting pity would afford relief
The ruthleſs ſneer that insult adds to grief.
Similar: affront, diss, insultation, offence, offense, pejorative, slam, slight, slur, barb, burn, dis · Opposite: compliment
- Something that causes offence (for example, by being of an unacceptable quality). The way the orchestra performed tonight was an insult to my ears.
- Something causing disease or injury to the body or bodily processes; the injury so caused. The exact nature of the teratological insult in diabetic pregnancy, and the cell biological details of the induced disturbances, are not known.
- An assault or attack; (specifically, military, obsolete) an assault, attack, or onset carried out without preparation. Then fir'd with pious Rage, the gen'rous Train / Run madly forward, to revenge the ſlain. / And ſome with eager haſte their Jav'lins throw; / And ſome, with Sword in hand, aſſault the Foe. / The wiſh'd Inſult the Latine Troops embrace; / And meet their Ardour in the middle Space.
- An act of leaping upon. The Bull's Inſult at Four ſhe [the mother cow] may ſuſtain; / But, after Ten, from Nuptial Rites refrain. / Six Seaſons uſe; but then releaſe the Cow, / Unfit for Love, and for the lab'ring Plough.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: affront, contumely, revilement, abuse, offensive, outrage, offend, slur, name-calling, derision, shame, contempt, disdain, curse, despite, cursing
Translations
Every language
verb to be insensitive, insolent, or rude to (someone)
| Español | insultar, agraviar, injuriar, denostar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 모욕하다 moyokhada |
| 日本語 | 侮辱する bujoku suru |
| 中文 | 侮辱 wǔrǔ |
| हिन्दी | निन्दा करना nindā karnā, अपमान करना apmān karnā |
| Kiswahili | kutukana |
| Português | insultar, injuriar |
| Français | insulter |
| Deutsch | beleidigen |
| Italiano | offendere, insultare, ingiuriare |
| Ελληνικά | προσβάλλω prosvállo |
| Română | insulta, jigni, înjura |
| Русский | оскорбля́ть oskorbljátʹ, оскорби́ть oskorbítʹ, обижа́ть obižátʹ, оби́деть obídetʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | làm nhục, xúc phạm |
| العربية | سَبَّ sabba, شَتَمَ šatama |
noun action or speech deliberately intended to be rude
| Español | insulto, improperio, denuesto |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 모욕 moyok |
| 日本語 | 侮辱 bujoku |
| 中文 | 侮辱 wǔrǔ |
| हिन्दी | अपमान apmān, अनादर anādar, तिरस्कार tiraskār, तौहीन tauhīn |
| Kiswahili | tusi |
| Português | insulto, ofensa |
| Français | insulte |
| Deutsch | Beleidigung, Kränkung, Verletzung |
| Italiano | insulto, offesa, oltraggio, affronto, ingiuria |
| Ελληνικά | προσβολή prosvolí |
| Română | insultă, jignire, injurie |
| Русский | оскорбле́ние oskorblénije, оби́да obída |
| Tiếng Việt | lời xúc phạm |
| العربية | إهانة ʔihāna |
| עברית | עלבון elbón |
Talk about this word "insult." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/insult. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. insult. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/insult "insult." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/insult.Cite this
@misc{insult_2026,
title = {insult},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/insult},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
