contempt
Americannoun
-
the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.
-
the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.
-
Law.
-
willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court contempt of court or legislative body.
-
an act showing such disrespect.
-
noun
-
the attitude or feeling of a person towards a person or thing that he considers worthless or despicable; scorn
-
the state of being scorned; disgrace (esp in the phrase hold in contempt )
-
wilful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body
contempt of court
Related Words
contempt , disdain , scorn imply strong feelings of disapproval and aversion toward what seems base, mean, or worthless. contempt is disapproval tinged with disgust: to feel contempt for a weakling . disdain is a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern: a disdain for crooked dealing . scorn denotes open or undisguised contempt often combined with derision: He showed only scorn for those who were not as ambitious as himself.
Other Word Forms
- self-contempt noun
Etymology
Origin of contempt
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contemptus “despising, scorn,” noun derivative of contemnere “to despise, scorn”; contemn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She told Durnion he had shown "total contempt for her in life and in death".
From BBC
With Senegal refusing to relinquish the trophy, and with Saturday's planned parade a sign of their contempt, the battle to be crowned African champions is far from over.
From BBC
She said it was "an absolute disgrace and contempt" towards victims' families.
From Barron's
Ms. Hughes plays Ruth with a combative defensiveness, and not a little contempt, as she listens with incredulity to Jay’s obvious ignorance of the Troubles.
Right at the university, he said, seeds were being planted of a contempt for human life such as the world had never seen.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
