CONTEMN Meaning of CONTEMN in English [ kən'tɛm ]■ verb archaic treat or regard with contempt.Derivatives~er -'tɛmə , -'tɛmnə noun OriginME: from L. ~ere , from con- (expressing intensive force) + temnere 'despise'. Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004