contempt

[ kuh n-tempt ]
/ kənˈtɛmpt /

noun

the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.
the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.
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.

Origin of contempt

1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin contemptus a slighting, equivalent to contemn(ere) to despise, scorn (see contemn) + -tus suffix of verb action (with loss of n and intrusive p)

synonym study for contempt

1. 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 WORDS FROM contempt

self-con·tempt, noun

Example sentences from the Web for contempt

British Dictionary definitions for contempt

contempt
/ (kənˈtɛmpt) /

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

Word Origin for contempt

C14: from Latin contemptus a despising, from contemnere to contemn

Idioms and Phrases with contempt

contempt

see familiarity breeds contempt.