contempt

American  

[kuhn-tempt] / kənˈtɛmpt /

noun

1. the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.

2. the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.

3. Law.

   1. willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court contempt of court or legislative body.

   2. an act showing such disrespect.

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contempt British  

/ kənˈtɛmpt /

noun

1. the attitude or feeling of a person towards a person or thing that he considers worthless or despicable; scorn

2. the state of being scorned; disgrace (esp in the phrase hold in contempt )

3. wilful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body

   contempt of court

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contempt Idioms  

1. see familiarity breeds contempt.

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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

Related Words

• antipathy
• condescension
• defiance
• derision
• disdain
• disregard
• disrespect
• distaste
• hatred
• malice
• mockery
• neglect
• ridicule
• scorn