effrontery

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Insolent and shameless audacity.

   We even had the effrontery to suggest that he should leave the country.

2. 2
   noun

   An act of insolent and shameless audacity.

   Any refusal to salute the president shall be counted as an effrontery.

From late 17th century French effronterie, from effronté (“shameless, insolent”), from Old French esfronté, from Vulgar Latin *exfrontātus. Compare Latin effrōns (“barefaced”), from the prefix ex- (“from”) + frōns (“forehead”) (English: front). By surface analysis, ef- + front + -er + -y.

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