noun
contumely
Contumely (noun) means Rude, scornful language or treatment meant to insult someone.
noun
1
Rude, scornful language or treatment meant to insult someone.
"What scorn, what contumely, would be his!"
— Grace Livingston Hill, The Best Man (1914)
"I could think of no words adequate to the occasion. So I belched. Not out of contumely, you understand. It was a sympathetic belch, a belch of brotherhood."
— Robert Nye, Falstaff (1976)
"ignoring the outcry, Harvey Warrender continued heatedly, 'If this government had been guilty of a breach of law, we would deserve the contumely of the House.'"
— Arthur Hailey (1962)
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Etymology
It came into English from Old French contumelie, which went back to Latin contumēlia ("insult"), perhaps built from com- + tumeō ("swell").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for contumely
See all rhymes for contumely →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of contumely?
"contumely" (noun) means rude, scornful language or treatment meant to insult someone.
What is another word for contumely?
Other words for "contumely" include revilement, insult, abuse, vilification.
What is the opposite of contumely?
Opposites of "contumely" include reverence, regard, deference, respect.
