contumely

[ kon-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-; kuhn-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-; kon-tuhm-lee, -tyoom, -chuhm ]
See synonyms for: contumelycontumelious on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural con·tu·me·lies.
  1. insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.

  2. a humiliating insult.

Origin of contumely

1
1350–1400; Middle English contumelie (<Anglo-French ) <Latin contumēlia, perhaps akin to contumāx (see contumacy), though formation and sense development are unclear

Other words for contumely

Other words from contumely

  • con·tu·me·li·ous [kon-too-mee-lee-uhs, -tyoo-], /ˌkɒn tuˈmi li əs, -tyu-/, adjective
  • con·tu·me·li·ous·ly, adverb
  • con·tu·me·li·ous·ness, noun

Words Nearby contumely

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How to use contumely in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contumely

contumely

/ (ˈkɒntjʊmɪlɪ) /


nounplural -lies
  1. scornful or insulting language or behaviour

  2. a humiliating or scornful insult

Origin of contumely

1
C14: from Latin contumēlia invective, from tumēre to swell, as with wrath

Derived forms of contumely

  • contumelious (ˌkɒntjʊˈmiːlɪəs), adjective
  • contumeliously, adverb
  • contumeliousness, noun

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