Disdain

If you feel that something isn't worthy of your consideration, you may disdain it (or treat it with disdain).

  • Pronunciation: /dɪsˈdeɪn/
  • English Description: n. a complete lack of respect that you show for someone or something because you think they are not important or good enough
  • Chinese Translation: 轻蔑(Qing1 Mie4), 鄙视(Bi3 Shi4)
  • Spanish Translation: Desdén
  • STORY: In Old French, deignier meant "to treat something as worthy." To disdain something, then, is to treat it with contempt: "Management at [the company] displayed a certain disdain for safety and appeared to regard safety-conscious workers as wimps in the organization." As a verb, disdain carries an air of self-righteousness not associated with similar words likedespise, abhor, detest, loathe and scorn. So if you disdain something, you might reject it with a haughty scoff, "Ha!"

EXAMPLE SENTENCE:

  • In the visage of Grumpy Cat, it seems, her fans found the perfect holy expression of indifferent disdain for all things— Washington Post
  • Childcare was seen as women's work, and men disdained it.