Contemn

Pronunciation: /kənˈtɛm/

Definitions of contemn

verb to treat with contempt; scorn; disdain

Example Sentences

A1 She contemns people who litter in public places.

A2 The teacher contemned the student for not doing their homework.

B1 The politician contemns corruption in government.

B2 The company CEO contemns unethical business practices.

C1 The judge contemned the defendant for their repeated criminal behavior.

C2 The artist contemns society's obsession with material wealth.

Examples of contemn in a Sentence

formal The judge contemned the defendant for his repeated offenses.

informal She contemns anyone who doesn't follow the rules.

slang I can't believe he contemned his own brother like that.

figurative She contemned the idea of compromise, sticking firmly to her beliefs.

Grammatical Forms of contemn

• past tense: contemned
• plural: contemn
• comparative: more contemning
• superlative: most contemning
• present tense: contemn
• future tense: will contemn
• perfect tense: have contemned
• continuous tense: is contemning
• singular: contemns
• positive degree: contemn
• infinitive: to contemn
• gerund: contemning
• participle: contemned

Origin and Evolution of contemn

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'contemn' originated from the Latin word 'contemnere', which means to despise or scorn.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'contemn' has evolved to be less commonly used in modern English, with 'despise' and 'scorn' being more frequently used synonyms. However, it still retains its original meaning of showing disdain or disrespect towards something or someone.