English Dictionary
Definition of “disdain”
disdain (dɪsˈdeɪn
)
Definitions
noun
- a feeling or show of superiority and dislike; contempt; scorn
verb
- (tr; may take an infinitive) to refuse or reject with disdain
Word Origin
C13 dedeyne, from Old French desdeign, from desdeigner to reject as unworthy, from Latin dēdignārī; see dis-C13 from Old French from to reject as unworthy, from Latin see 1, , deign
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
contempt,
dislike,
scorn,
arrogance,
indifference,
sneering,
derision,
hauteur,
snobbishness,
contumely,
haughtiness,
superciliousness,
=
scorn,
reject,
despise,
slight,
disregard,
spurn,
undervalue,
deride,
look down on,
belittle,
sneer at
pooh-pooh,
contemn,
look down your nose at
misprize,
Quotations
"A little disdain is not amiss; a little scorn is alluring"
William Congreve
Usage examples
He was clothed only in his shiny fur and his disdain for the human emotion of shame.
Zindell, David, The Broken God (1993)Smita, Thackeray's eldest daughter-in-law, is more guarded in her disdain for Joshi.
India Today (1998)Critics mark inauguration with disdain William J. Kole VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- In Geneva, they'll read patriotic poetry.
canada.com (2005)It's the Germans, not their South Korean opponents, who attract disdain.
Sun, News of the World (2002)Not eight hours before she had been naked in Sharpe's hanging bed, but now her disdain of him was cruelly obvious.
Bernard Cornwell, SHARPE'S TRAFALGAR (2001)
