contumely

[kon-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-, kuhn-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-, kon-tuhm-lee, -tyoom, -chuhm]

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.

contumely

/ ˌkɒntjʊˈmiːlɪəs, ˈkɒntjʊmɪlɪ /

noun

1. scornful or insulting language or behaviour

2. a humiliating or scornful insult

Other Word Forms

• contumeliously adverb
• contumelious adjective
• contumeliousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of contumely¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of contumely¹

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

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.

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You can open to nearly any page of this book and find potent anti-Mitch contumely.

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

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Christie managed to be almost cuddly while dispatching this contumely.

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

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