contempt

Meanings

• noun

  The feeling of deep disgust or scorn for someone or something, typically one that is regarded as inferior or despicable.

  - "Her contempt for the poor was evident in her speech."
  - "He felt contempt towards those who had betrayed him."

• noun

  A disrespectful or scornful attitude, especially towards an authority or a court.

  - "The defendant showed contempt of court by interrupting the judge."
  - "The judge imposed a fine for contempt of court."

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Pronunciation

1. /kənˈtɛmpt/
   
   
   
   Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=825500"

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with contempt
tempest , heist , feast , beast , pest , west

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Variants

List of all variants of contempt that leads to same result
contempt , contempts , self-contempt , self-contempts , beneath contempt , figure of contempt , held in contempt

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From Old French contemner 'scorn, despise', from contemp- 'against' + tems 'time'.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The word 'contempt' appears 13 times in the King James Version of the Bible.

2. In law, contempt of court can result in a person being held in contempt and fined or even jailed.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. disdain: A feeling of strong disapproval or contempt, often expressed through one's behavior or attitude.

2. scorn: A feeling or expression of contempt or disrespect towards someone or something.

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Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. There, in the tall grass and the jungle, many would fall and the rest would return home to endure the sullen "contempt" of their fellow citizens, all to no purpose.

   - A. J. Bacevich,{it}Commonweal{/it},12 Sept. 1997

2. I even read a mild "contempt" into this first-name business, comparable to the old habit of calling men Mac, Ace, Chief, or Buddy, or calling women Honey, Sweetie, or Doll.

   - Aristides,{it}American Scholar{/it},Summer 1996

3. The same "contempt" for the poor that suggests kids are better off in orphanages will mobilize resistance to the orphanages themselves.

   - Katha Pollitt,{it}Nation{/it},12 Dec. 1994

4. … they looked with "contempt" at the bloodless gray arthritic hands of the old woman …

   - Alice Walker,{it}In Love & Trouble{/it},1973

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Contempt has been a common theme in literature, particularly in works dealing with power dynamics and social hierarchies. In Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar', Brutus expresses contempt for Caesar, leading him to plot his assassination.

How to Memorize "contempt"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a person with a disdainful expression, rolling their eyes and turning their nose up at someone or something.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word with the feeling of looking down on someone or something with disgust.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic by remembering the phrase 'Contempt: Against Time, People Show Disdain'.

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