haughty

C2
US /ˈhɔti/ UK /ˈhɔːti/
adj Freq #27644

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    Conveying in demeanour the assumption of superiority; disdainful, supercilious.

    How meek and shrunken did that haughty Tarmac become as it slunk by the wide circle of asphalt of the yellow sort, that was loosely strewn before the great iron gates of Lady Hall as a forerunner of the consideration that awaited the guests of Rupert, Earl of Kare, […].

  2. 2
    adj

    having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy

Etymology

From earlier hauty, haultic, with spelling change in imitation of English naughty and English high, from Middle English hautein, hautain (with -ein, -ain becoming -y through the form hautenesse standing for *hauteinnesse; see haughtiness), from Middle English haute (“self-important”), from Old French haut, hault (“high, lofty”), from Frankish *hauh, *hōh (“high, lofty, proud”) and Latin altus (“high, deep”).

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Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · conveying in demeanour the... airyarrogantauthoritarianbig-headedbiggityblusteryboastfulbombasticbuggishcockyconceiteddisdainful
2 adj · having or showing arrogant... swaggering

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