Contumely — Con tu*me*ly, n. [L. contumelia, prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. OF. contumelie. Cf. {Contumacy}.] Rudeness compounded of haughtiness and contempt; scornful insolence; despiteful treatment; disdain; contemptuousness in act or speech;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
contumely — (n.) late 14c., from O.Fr. contumelie, from L. contumelia a reproach, insult, probably related to contumax haughty, stubborn, from com , intensive prefix (see COM (Cf. com )), + tumere to swell up (see THIGH (Cf. thigh)). The unhappy man left his … Etymology dictionary
contumely — ► NOUN (pl. contumelies) archaic ▪ insolent or insulting language or treatment. DERIVATIVES contumelious adjective. ORIGIN Latin contumelia, perhaps from tumere to swell … English terms dictionary
contumely — [kän′to͞o mə lē, kän′tyo͞omə lē; kän′to͞om lē, kän′tyo͞omlē; kən too′mə lē, kəntyoo′mə lē] n. pl. contumelies [ME contumelie < OFr < L contumelia, a reproach, abuse; prob. akin to CONTUMACY] 1. haughty and contemptuous rudeness; insulting… … English World dictionary
contumely — [14] The idea underlying contumely ‘insolence’ is ‘swelling up’. It comes, via Old French contumelie, from Latin contumēlia ‘insult, reproach’, a compound noun formed from the intensive prefix com and (probably) tumēre ‘swell’ (source of English… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
contumely — [14] The idea underlying contumely ‘insolence’ is ‘swelling up’. It comes, via Old French contumelie, from Latin contumēlia ‘insult, reproach’, a compound noun formed from the intensive prefix com and (probably) tumēre ‘swell’ (source of English… … Word origins
contumely — noun (plural lies) Etymology: Middle English contumelie, from Middle French, from Latin contumelia Date: 14th century harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also an instance of such language or treatment … New Collegiate Dictionary
contumely — contumelious /kon tooh mee lee euhs, tyooh /, adj. contumeliously, adv. contumeliousness, n. /kon too meuh lee, tyoo ; keuhn tooh meuh lee, tyooh ; kon teuhm lee, tyoohm, cheuhm/, n., pl. contumelies. 1. insulting display of contempt in words or… … Universalium
contumely — noun /ˈkɒntjuːm(ə)li/ Rude language or behaviour; scorn, insult. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time … Wiktionary
contumely — Synonyms and related words: abuse, affront, airs, animadversion, arrogance, aspersion, assailing, assault, assurance, atrocity, attack, audacity, berating, billingsgate, bitter words, blackening, boldness, brickbat, bumptiousness, calumny,… … Moby Thesaurus
