CONTUMELY


Meaning of CONTUMELY in English

— contumelious /kon'tooh mee"lee euhs, -tyooh-/ , adj. — contumeliously , adv. — contumeliousness , n.

/kon"too meuh lee, -tyoo-; keuhn tooh"meuh lee, -tyooh"-; kon"teuhm lee, -tyoohm, -cheuhm/ , n. , pl. contumelies .

1. insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.

2. a humiliating insult.

[ 1350-1400; ME contumelie ( contumelia, perh. akin to contumax (see CONTUMACY), though formation and sense development are unclear ]

Syn. 1. abuse, scorn, disdain, rudeness.

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .