Contumacy

Pronunciation: /kɑntjʊməsi/

Definitions of contumacy

noun a stubborn refusal to obey authority or comply with orders

Example Sentences

A1 The student's contumacy towards the teacher resulted in detention.

A2 Her contumacy towards authority figures often got her into trouble.

B1 The employee's contumacy towards following company policies led to his dismissal.

B2 The CEO's contumacy in refusing to listen to the board's advice caused a major setback for the company.

C1 The politician's contumacy in ignoring public opinion ultimately cost him the election.

C2 The criminal's contumacy during the trial only served to worsen his case.

Examples of contumacy in a Sentence

formal The defendant's contumacy in refusing to comply with the court orders resulted in severe consequences.

informal Her contumacy towards authority figures often got her into trouble.

slang I can't believe his contumacy got him kicked out of school.

figurative The contumacy of the wild horse symbolized freedom and resistance to being tamed.

Grammatical Forms of contumacy

• plural: contumacies
• comparative: more contumacious
• superlative: most contumacious
• present tense: contumacies
• future tense: will contumacy
• perfect tense: have contumacied
• continuous tense: is contumacing
• singular: contumacy
• positive degree: contumacious
• infinitive: to contumacy
• gerund: contumacing
• participle: contumacied

Origin and Evolution of contumacy

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'contumacy' originated from the Latin word 'contumacia', which means stubbornness or rebelliousness.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'contumacy' has retained its original meaning of stubborn resistance to authority or refusal to obey, but it is now used more commonly in legal contexts to refer to willful disobedience of a court order or refusal to comply with a legal requirement.