contumely

American  

[kon-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-, kuhn-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-, kon-tuhm-lee, -tyoom, -chuhm] / ˈkɒn tʊ mə li, -tyʊ-, kənˈtu mə li, -ˈtyu-, ˈkɒn təm li, -tyum, -tʃəm /

noun

plural

contumelies

1. insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.

   Synonyms:

   rudeness, disdain, scorn, abuse

2. a humiliating insult.

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contumely British  

/ ˌkɒntjʊˈmiːlɪəs, ˈkɒntjʊmɪlɪ /

noun

1. scornful or insulting language or behaviour

2. a humiliating or scornful insult

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Other Word Forms

• contumelious adjective
• contumeliously adverb
• contumeliousness noun

Etymology

Origin of contumely

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

Example Sentences

There’s a big difference between despised love and disprized love, and between a proud man’s contumely and a poor man’s contumely.

From New York Times

Each day, Bull poured torrents of contumely on his morning paper.

From Literature

Christie managed to be almost cuddly while dispatching this contumely.

From New York Times

He prints plenty of contumely — mostly snobbish disapproval from Eastern visitors — about his hometown.

From New York Times

Rebuke is actually too frivolous a word for the contumely Mr. Wolfe looses in his direction.

From New York Times