superciliousness

English

Etymology

From supercilious +‎ -ness.

Noun

superciliousness (uncountable)

  1. The state or quality of being supercilious.
    • 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XLIX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 4:
      ...and externally more resembling her mother than any of her sisters, though she lacked Lady Anne's commanding height and that cast of countenance which indicated powerful intellect, but was unfortunately mingled with pride and superciliousness, which was the extreme reverse of Mary's expression.
    • 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 214:
      His little eyes glittered like mica discs with curiosity, though he tried to keep up a bit of superciliousness.
    • 1911, G. K. Chesterton, “The Secret Garden”, in The Innocence of Father Brown:
      He saw Dr. Simon, a typical French scientist, with glasses, a pointed brown beard, and a forehead barred with those parallel wrinkles which are the penalty of superciliousness, since they come through constantly elevating the eyebrows.
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