- when predicative, often followed by of:
showing or feeling contempt; disdainful
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
con•temp•tu•ous /kənˈtɛmptʃuəs/USA pronunciation
adj.
con•temp•tu•ous•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- showing or expressing contempt;
scornful:contemptuous of those below him.
con•temp•tu•ous•ness, n. [uncountable]
- contemptuous refers to a person or thing that shows contempt: a contemptuous look (= the look on the face shows the person's contempt). contemptible refers to the act or deed that is bad and dishonorable and that deserves our contempt:contemptible cowardice (= cowardice that deserves our contempt).
con•temp•tu•ous
(kən temp′cho̅o̅ əs),USA pronunciation adj.
con•temp′tu•ous•ly, adv.
con•temp′tu•ous•ness, n.
- showing or expressing contempt or disdain;
scornful.
- Latin contemptu-, stem of contemptus contempt + -ous
- 1520–30
con•temp′tu•ous•ness, n.
- disdainful, sneering, insolent, arrogant, supercilious, haughty.
- respectful.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'contemptuous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Jacques Bonhomme
- abuse
- contemptible
- contumely
- coonass
- crowd
- cynical
- derisive
- despite
- despiteful
- despiteous
- dirty
- disdainful
- faggot
- feist
- fling
- flock
- flout
- gammer
- half-contemptuous
- haughty
- high horse
- horsefeathers
- impertinent
- indignity
- insolent
- insult
- jump
- kiss
- look down
- mock
- nigger
- nose
- opprobrious
- pitiable
- put
- revile
- ridicule
- rooinek
- sarcasm
- sardonic
- scorn
- scornful
- sirrah
- sleeve
- slight
- sneer
- sniffish
- sniffy
- snort