contempt (kənˈtɛmpt
)
Definitions
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
C14: from Latin contemptus a despising, from contemnere to contemnSynonyms
View thesaurus entryTranslations
- British English:
contempt
If you have contempt for someone or something, you have no respect for them.He has contempt for most politicians.kənˈtɛmpt NOUN He has contempt for most politicians.
- Spanish:
desprecio
nm
- French:
mépris
nm
- German:
Verachtung
nf
- Chinese: 轻视 n
- Arabic: اِحْتِقَار n
- Portuguese: desprezo nm
- Russian: презрение nnt
- Croatian: prijezir nm
- Czech: pohrdání nnt
- Danish: foragt nutr
- Dutch: minachting nf
- Finnish: halveksunta n
- Greek: περιφρόνηση nf
- Italian: diprezzo nm
- Japanese: 軽蔑 n
- Korean: 모욕 n
- Norwegian: forakt nm
- Polish: pogarda nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: desprezo nm
- European Spanish:
desprecio
nm
- Swedish: förakt nnt
- Thai: การหมิ่นประมาท n
- Turkish: hor görme n
- Vietnamese: sự khinh miệt n
Usage examples
Dismissing Katrina with a look of contempt , she stared at the clock.
, Final Resort (1994)Doctors tend to regard medical sociology with indifference if not overt contempt.
British Medical Journal (2002)Suddenly, cellphones were no longer exotic, no longer elite, no longer a status symbol or an emblem of contempt.
Globe and Mail (2003)I went to a private school and thought state schools were just beneath contempt.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Nicolas looked at me defiantly -- clearly he does not like to be held in contempt.
, THE LADY AND THE UNICORN (2003)