disdain

C1 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /dɪsˈdeɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #24186

Meanings

1

noun
A feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect.

She looked at the cheap imitation with obvious disdain.
2

verb
To regard someone or something with contempt; to consider unworthy of respect.

He disdained their offer of help and walked away.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a feeling that someone or... despite

2 verb · to regard someone or... reject

More abominate abomination condescension contemn contempt despisal scorn

Opposites

admiration admire adoration adore honor respect revere reverence

Word family

Forms disdaineddisdainingdisdains

Derived forms disdainabledisdainerdisdainfuldisdaininglyundisdainedundisdaining

Simplified etymology

Disdain entered English in Middle English and comes from a negative formation related to Latin dignus, “worthy.” Its original sense was “consider unworthy.”

Etymology

From Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner).

disdeynen Middle English desdeignier Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Emotions & Feelings

External links

# disdain

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪsˈdeɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 24186

## Meanings
1. A feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect.
2. To regard someone or something with contempt; to consider unworthy of respect.

## Examples
- She looked at the cheap imitation with obvious disdain.
- He disdained their offer of help and walked away.

## Synonyms
- abominate
- abomination
- condescension
- contemn
- contempt
- despisal
- scorn

## Antonyms
- admiration
- admire
- adoration
- adore
- honor
- respect
- revere
- reverence

## Derived Forms
- disdainable
- disdainer
- disdainful
- disdainingly
- undisdained
- undisdaining

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: disdeynen
- Root: desdeignier

## Etymology
From Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner).

## AI Etymology
Disdain is from Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner). Important historical forms include Middle English disdeynen, and Old French desdeignier. In present-day use, it can mean a feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect, or to regard someone or something with contempt; to consider unworthy of respect. Derived formations include disdainable, disdainer, disdainful, disdainingly, undisdained.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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