contumacy

[ kon-too-muh-see, -tyoo- ]
/ ˈkɒn tʊ mə si, -tyʊ- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR contumacy ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural con·tu·ma·cies.

stubborn perverseness or rebelliousness; willful and obstinate resistance or disobedience to authority.

Origin of contumacy

1150–1200; Middle English contumacie < Latin contumācia, equivalent to contumāc-, stem of contumāx unyielding, stubborn ( con- con- + -tum- of uncertain sense, though connected by classical authors with both contemnere to regard with contempt and tumēre to swell) + -āx adj. suffix) + -ia -ia

Words nearby contumacy

controlling interest, controversial, controversy, controvert, contumacious, contumacy, contumely, contuse, contused wound, contusion, conté

Words related to contumacy

insubordination, recalcitrance, disobedience, refractoriness, contempt, rebelliousness

Example sentences from the Web for contumacy

British Dictionary definitions for contumacy

contumacy
/ (ˈkɒntjʊməsɪ) /

noun plural -cies

obstinate and wilful rebelliousness or resistance to authority; insubordination; disobedience
the wilful refusal of a person to appear before a court or to comply with a court order

Word Origin for contumacy

C14: from Latin contumācia, from contumāx obstinate; related to tumēre to swell, be proud