First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1disdain
noun dis·dain \dis-ˈdān\
: a feeling of strong dislike or disapproval of someone or something you think does not deserve respect
Full Definition of DISDAIN
See disdain defined for English-language learners
See disdain defined for kids
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Examples of DISDAIN
- McCarthy's indifference to accolades and his disdain for grandstanding … turned into a disdain even for being understood. —Louis Menand, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2004
- There is fierce disdain within the Pentagon for the passive U.N. peacekeepers who stood by while thousands were murdered in Bosnia's ethnic cleansing. —Joe Klein, Time, 24 Nov. 2003
- But for all its playful love of puns and cool disdain for “suits,” the high-tech world is, at heart, a cruel, unforgiving place ruled by the merciless dynamics of the marketplace. —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 27 June 2002
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Origin of DISDAIN
Middle English desdeyne, from Anglo-French desdaign, from desdeigner (see 2disdain)
Related to DISDAIN
- Synonyms
- contemptuousness, despisement, despite, despitefulness, contempt, misprision, scorn
- Antonyms
- admiration, esteem, estimation, favor, regard, respect
Rhymes with DISDAIN
abstain, again, air lane, airplane, amain, arcane, arraign, attain, Bahrain, Bassein, Beltane, biplane, birdbrain, block plane, bloodstain, boat train, brain drain, bugbane, campaign, champagne, champaign, Champlain, checkrein, chicane, chilblain, choke chain, chow mein, cinquain, cocaine, Cockaigne, Coltrane, coxswain, complain, constrain, contain, cordwain, cowbane, crackbrain, demesne, deplane, destain, detain, detrain, devein, distain, distrain, dogbane, domain, drivetrain, dumb cane, edge-grain, Elaine, enchain, enplane, entrain, ethane, explain, eyestrain, fast lane, fleabane, floatplane, floodplain, food chain, forebrain, Fort Wayne, Gawain, germane, Great Dane, grosgrain, half plane, henbane, hindbrain, house-train, humane, Hussein, Igraine, immane, inane, ingrain, insane, jack plane, lamebrain, left brain, lightplane, lo mein, long-chain, Lorraine, maintain, marchpane, membrane, methane, midbrain, migraine, Montaigne, montane, moraine, mortmain, Moulmein, mundane, neck-rein, New Spain, obtain, octane, ordain, pertain, plain-Jane, profane, propane, ptomaine, purslane, quatrain, raise Cain, refrain, remain, restrain, retain, retrain, right brain, romaine, sailplane, sea-lane, seaplane, seatrain, split-brain, sustain, tailplane, tearstain, terrane, Touraine, towplane, triplane, Ukraine, unchain, urbane, vervain, vicereine, villein, volplane, warplane, wave train, wolfsbane
2disdain
verb dis·dain \dis-ˈdān\
: to strongly dislike or disapprove of (someone or something)
: to refuse to do (something) because of feelings of dislike or disapproval
Full Definition of DISDAIN
transitive verb
1
: to look on with scorn <disdained him as a coward>
2
: to refuse or abstain from because of a feeling of contempt or scorn <disdained to answer their questions>
3
: to treat as beneath one's notice or dignity
See disdain defined for English-language learners
Examples of DISDAIN
- The right eyes him [Thomas Jefferson] suspiciously as a limousine Jacobin so enamored of revolution that he once suggested we should have one every 20 years. The left disdains him as your basic race hypocrite. —Charles Krauthammer, Time, 22 May 2000
- Only in our last days on the peninsula (the arm of Antarctica that polar scientists disdain as the “Banana Belt”) did we see our first frozen sea … —Kate Ford, Wall Street Journal, 12 June 1998
- His vehicle would be a form he both enjoyed and disdained—pulp fiction. His audience would be one he often condescended to—the black masses. —Henry Louis Gates, Jr., NNew York Times Book Review, 20 Sept. 1992
- There is also evidence of epic womanizing that Mr. Schickel mentions but loftily announces that he disdains to tell us about. —Camille Paglia, New York Times Book Review, 21 July 1991
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Origin of DISDAIN
Middle English desdeynen, from Anglo-French desdeigner, dedeigner, from Vulgar Latin *disdignare, from Latin dis- + dignare to deign — more at deign
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to DISDAIN
- Synonyms
- contemn, dis (also diss) [slang], scorn, disrespect, high-hat, look down (on or upon), slight, sniff (at), snoot, snub
Synonym Discussion of DISDAIN
despise, contemn, scorn, disdain mean to regard as unworthy of one's notice or consideration. despise may suggest an emotional response ranging from strong dislike to loathing <despises cowards>. contemn implies a vehement condemnation of a person or thing as low, vile, feeble, or ignominious <contemns the image of women promoted by advertisers>. scorn implies a ready or indignant contempt <scorns the very thought of retirement>. disdain implies an arrogant or supercilious aversion to what is regarded as unworthy <disdained popular music>.
DISDAIN Defined for Kids
1disdain
noun dis·dain \dis-ˈdān\
Definition of DISDAIN for Kids
: a feeling of dislike for someone or something considered not good enough <She eyed the food with disdain.>
— dis·dain·ful adjective
— dis·dain·ful·ly \-fə-lē\ adverb
2disdain
verb
dis·daineddis·dain·ing
Definition of DISDAIN for Kids
1
: to feel dislike for something or someone usually for not being good enough <He disdained people he felt were weak.>
2
: to refuse because of feelings of dislike <She disdained to answer.>
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