contemptible
English
Alternative forms
- contemptable (archaic, nonstandard)
Etymology
From Middle English contemptible, from Latin contemptibilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kənˈtɛmptəbəl/
Audio (Mid-Atlantic) (file)
Adjective
contemptible (comparative more contemptible, superlative most contemptible)
- Deserving contempt.
- Synonyms: despicable, disdainable, hateworthy; see also Thesaurus:despicable
- Antonyms: respectable, venerable
- 1667, Francisco de Quevedo Villegas, “The Sixth Vision of Hell”, in R[oger] L[’Estrange], transl., The Visions of Dom Francisco de Quevedo Villegas, […], London: […] H[enry] Herringman […], →OCLC, page 247:
- But a Devil came in juſt in the God-ſpeed, and told them; Gentlemen Philoſophers, (ſays he) if you vvould knovv the VVretched'ſt, and moſt contemptible thing in the VVorld; It is an Alchymiſt: […]
- 1814 July, [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Mansfield Park: […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 2:
- Miss Ward's match, indeed, when it came to the point, was not contemptible: Sir Thomas being happily able to give his friend an income in the living of Mansfield […]
Derived terms
Translations
deserving contempt
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