contemn

WOTD – 20 March 2007

§English

§Etymology

From Old French contemner, from Latin contemnere (“to scorn”). See also contempt.

§Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˈtɛm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛm

§Verb

contemn (third-person singular simple present contemns, present participle contemning, simple past and past participle contemned)

1. (archaic) To disdain; to value at little or nothing; to treat or regard with contempt.
   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, “11”, in The Moon and Sixpence:

     [...] I was perturbed by the suspicion that the anguish of love contemned was alloyed in her broken heart with the pangs, sordid to my young mind, of wounded vanity.

2. (law) To commit an offence of contempt, such as contempt of court; to unlawfully flout (e.g. a ruling).

§Synonyms

• despise, scorn
• See also Wikisaurus:despise

§Related terms

• contemner
• contempt
• contemptibility
• contemptible
• contemptibly
• contemptuous

§Translations

to treat or regard with contempt

• Armenian: արհամարհել (arhamarhel)
• Bulgarian: презирам (bg) (preziram), пренебрегвам (bg) (prenebregvam)
• Catalan: menyspreuar, desdenyar (ca)
• Finnish: halveksia (fi), halveksua
• German: verachten (de)
• Hebrew: בז (he) (baz)

• Italian: disprezzare (it), disdegnare
• Russian: презирать (ru) n, impf (prezirátʼ), пренебрегать (ru) n, impf (prenebregátʼ), попирать (ru) n, impf (popirátʼ)
• Spanish: despreciar (es), menospreciar (es)
• Turkish: küçümsemek (tr)