I. ə̇nˈsəlt verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French insulter, from Latin insultare, literally, to spring upon, leap, from in- in- (II) + -sultare (from saltare to leap) — more at saltant
intransitive verb
1. archaic : to behave with pride or insolence : display arrogance or contempt : exult or boast usually insolently or contemptuously : triumph , vaunt
2. obsolete : to make an attack or assault
transitive verb
1.
a. : to treat with insolence, indignity, or contempt by word or action : affront wantonly
his impertinences insulted his sister's guests
b. : to make little of : affect offensively or depreciatively
insulted the traditions of the sea by ordering “right” and “left” to be substituted … for “starboard” and “port” — Bruce Bliven b. 1889
editorial slovenliness that insults the reader's mind
2. obsolete : to make an attack on : assault , assail ; especially : to make a sudden military attack on without the usual preliminaries or formalities
Synonyms: see offend
II. ˈinˌsəlt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French insult, insulte, from Late Latin insultus, probably from Latin in- in- (II) + -sultus (from saltus leap) (probably influenced by Latin insultare to insult, spring upon); akin to Latin salire to leap — more at sally
1. archaic : an act of attacking : onset , attack
2. : a gross indignity offered to another either by word or act : an act or speech of insolence or contempt
his words were a studied insult
such an offer was an insult to our intelligence
3. : damage or an instance of injury to the body or one of its parts
repeated acute vascular insults
any insult to the constitution of a patient suffering from active tuberculosis — Journal American Medical Association
also : an agent that produces such an insult
a thermal insult
damage resulting from malnutritional insults
Synonyms: see affront