contumely
[ 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 con·tu·me·lies.
insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.
a humiliating insult.
Origin of contumely
1350–1400; Middle English
contumelie (< Anglo-French) < Latin
contumēlia, perhaps akin to
contumāx (see
contumacy), though formation and sense development are unclear
SYNONYMS FOR contumely
OTHER WORDS FROM contumely
con·tu·me·li·ous [kon-too-mee-lee-uhs, -tyoo-] /ˌkɒn tuˈmi li əs, -tyu-/, adjective con·tu·me·li·ous·ly, adverb con·tu·me·li·ous·ness, nounWords nearby contumely
controversial,
controversy,
controvert,
contumacious,
contumacy,
contumely,
contuse,
contused wound,
contusion,
conté,
conundrum
Example sentences from the Web for contumely
British Dictionary definitions for contumely
contumely
/ (ˈkɒntjʊmɪlɪ) /
noun plural -lies
scornful or insulting language or behaviour
a humiliating or scornful insult
Derived forms of contumely
contumelious (ˌkɒntjʊˈmiːlɪəs), adjective contumeliously, adverb contumeliousness, nounWord Origin for contumely
C14: from Latin
contumēlia invective, from
tumēre to swell, as with wrath