condescension
Origin of condescension
OTHER WORDS FROM condescension
con·de·scen·sive [kon-duh-sen-siv], /ËkÉn dÉËsÉn sÉȘv/, adjectivecon·de·scen·sive·ly, adverbnon·con·de·scen·sion, nounWords nearby condescension
MORE ABOUT CONDESCENSION
What does condescension mean?
Condescension is a way of interacting with others that implies that youâre superior to them. It especially refers to when this is done in an arrogant or patronizing wayâmeaning when you act as if youâre doing someone a favor by supposedly lowering yourself to their level of understanding or intelligence.
Condescension often involves not only what is said but also how itâs said. A tone of condescension is often one that sounds like itâs directed at a child.
Condescension is a noun form of the verb condescend, which most commonly means to behave in this way. When used this way, condescend, condescension, and the adjective condescending are always negative and imply that such behavior is insulting to the person or people itâs directed toward.
Condescend can also mean to stoop to a lower level or to do something that one considers as below one’s dignity. A close synonym of this sense of the word is deign. Condescension can also mean the act of doing so.
Example: His opinion piece is dripping with condescensionâitâs written as if no one else is capable of understanding.
Where does condescension come from?
The first records of the word condescension come from the 1600s. It derives from a term closely related to the Late Latin verb condÄscendere, which means âto stoopâ and derives from the Latin dÄscendere, âto descend.â
Condescension always involves stooping or descending to the level of those considered inferior. A person who condescends to another usually isnât outright insulting them. Instead, theyâre speaking as if the person theyâre addressing doesnât have the ability to understand their supposedly superior intelligence. Most commonly, condescension takes the form of a person intentionally attempting to display this supposed superiority through their tone.
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What are some other forms related to condescension?
- condescend (verb)
What are some words that share a root or word element with condescension?Â
What are some words that often get used in discussing condescension?
How is condescension used in real life?
The word condescension is usually used negatively to imply rudeness or disrespect.
Still, it should be possible to criticise Lady Gaga without displaying utter condescension and contempt towards ordinary people.
— Dorian Lynskey (@Dorianlynskey) May 20, 2011
It just wears you down. Itâs not a single argument or differing point of few, itâs persistent daily condescension for months, dismissiveness, belittling. Stuff that is meant to âput you in your placeâ
— Jessica Hische (@jessicahische) June 29, 2020
The desire for women and girls to be innocent is infantilism and speaks to a strange condescension in which both maturity and trauma are seen as traits that make women undesirable.
— Dack Jennyâ #BLM (@DackJenny) June 28, 2020
Try using condescension!
Is condescension used correctly in the following sentence?
The thinly veiled condescension in his speech was extremely off-putting.