## Meanings
1. A strong feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect.
2. Disobedience or disrespect toward a court of law or its rules.

## Examples
- She looked at the cheating student with utter contempt.
- He was held in contempt of court for refusing to answer the judge.

## Synonyms
- despect
- despiciency
- despisal
- despisement
- disdain
- scorn

## Antonyms
- honor
- respect
- reverence
- sympathy
- veneration

## Derived Forms
- contemptible
- contemptive
- contemptuous
- self-contempt

## Related Forms
- bah
- cheeky
- contemn
- contemnor
- despise
- ridicule

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: contemptus

## Etymology
From Latin contemptus (“scorn”), from contemnō (“to scorn, despise”), from com- + temnō (“to despise”). Displaced native Old English forsewennes.

## AI Etymology
contempt is a noun. It is from Latin contemptus (“scorn”), from contemnō (“to scorn, despise”), from com- + temnō (“to despise”). Displaced native Old English forsewennes. Historical forms in the chain include contemptus (Latin). Current senses include a strong feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect and disobedience or disrespect toward a court of law or its rules. Derived forms include contemptible, contemptive, contemptuous, and self-contempt. Related words include bah, cheeky, contemn, and contemnor.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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contempt

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