Treated with extreme disrespect or scorn; showed severe disapproval toward someone or something.
From Latin contemnere (to scorn, despise), composed of con- (together, intensively) and temnere (to slight). The meaning has remained consistent since Roman times—to express contempt through action or attitude.
This word appears frequently in legal documents and classic literature because it describes the specific act of deliberately disrespecting authority or dignity. In law, 'contempt of court' uses this same root to describe behavior that undermines judicial authority.
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