disdain

Intermediatezipf 3.33

Pronunciation

/dɪsˈdeɪn/(dis-DAYN)

Part of speech

noun / verbformal

Chinese

(n) 鄙视；不屑 (v) 鄙视；不屑于

Definition

The feeling that someone or something is beneath one's dignity; to regard with contempt or scorn.

Word family

  • disdainful/dɪsˈdeɪnfəl/(adj)鄙视的
  • disdainfully/dɪsˈdeɪnfəli/(adv)

Collocations

  • utter disdain
  • disdain for
  • treat with disdain
  • disdainful look
  • barely concealed disdain

Examples

  1. 1.She regarded his amateur efforts with barely concealed disdain. (noun — scorn)
  2. 2.He disdained the easy path and chose the challenge that would test him most. (verb — consider unworthy)

Synonyms

  • contempt/kənˈtɛmpt/— strong disapproval — very close
  • scorn/skɔːrn/— open contempt or mockery
  • derision/dɪˈrɪʒən/— contemptuous ridicule

Etymology

from Old French "desdeignier" — des- (dis-, away) + deignier (to deem worthy) from Latin "dignare" (to consider worthy) — literally "to consider unworthy"