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contemptus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word contemptus

contemptus1 despised

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (contemnō)

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kɔnˈtɛmp.tʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [konˈtɛmp.tus][1]

Forms

contemptus (feminine contempta, neuter contemptum, comparative contemptior, superlative contemptissimus, adverb contemptim); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

The adjective is the past participle of contemnō (“to despise”), used as an adjective.[2][1][3] De Vaan finds that ⟨contemnō⟩ is older than the simple temnō, a later back-formation; the source of its sense “despise” is disputed, between Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- (“to cut”), the root of Ancient Greek τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”), so “cut off”, and a root “to shake, pound”, which he thinks may not be Indo-European.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Cicero as its first author.[5] In the De lege agraria Cicero speaks of a contemptus et abiectus homō, a despised and abject man.[3]

Semantic evolution

It is despised, and so despicable, paltry, mean: Cicero's mean and squalid life, and his “what voice could be more contemptible than that of Milo of Croton?”.[2][3] With a dative it is despised by someone, as Tacitus' Trebellius, despised and hated by the army for his greed.[3] The superlative is common in Cicero (the levity of the most contemptible consuls), Quintilian and Suetonius.[3] Horace and Seneca use it of things: ō quam rēs est contempta homō!, “how contemptible a thing is man!”.[3][6]

Church Latin glosses it “despised, contemptible”.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a despised man and a mean life.[3][5]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of a contemptible thing.[3][5]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus of a commander despised by his troops.[3][5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Despised; despicable, contemptible, paltry, mean.[2][1][3][7]
  2. Valued little, disregarded.[1][6]

Word family

  • contemptē
  • incontemptus

contemptus2 contempt

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
96–55 BC, Lucretius
Ultimate origin
Latin (contemnō)
Etymology tree of contemptus2
inherited borrowed derived
Latin contemno
Latin contemptus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kɔnˈtɛmp.tʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [konˈtɛmp.tus][1]

Forms

contemptus m (genitive contemptūs); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

The noun is formed from Latin contemnō (“to despise”) + -tus.[2][1] De Vaan finds that ⟨contemnō⟩ is older than the simple temnō, a later back-formation; the source of its sense “despise” is disputed, between Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- (“to cut”), the root of Ancient Greek τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”), so “cut off”, and a root “to shake, pound”, which he thinks may not be Indo-European.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lucretius has it of the state of being despised: turpis … contemptus et ācris egestās, “shameful contempt and bitter poverty”.[2] Köbler's first author is Caesar.[5]

Semantic evolution

It is the act of despising, contempt: in Caesar the Gauls look down on the Romans' short stature, and Tacitus' soldiers fall off from their courage through contempt for their general.[2][6] It is also the state of being despised, ignominy (Lucretius, Livy), and disregard: Livy speaks of contempt for the laws, magistrates and senate, Seneca of contempt for death, and Tacitus of the Jews' contempt for dying.[2][6] Lewis and Short find it common only from Augustus' time, especially in Quintilian, and perhaps never in Cicero.[3]

Church Latin glosses it “contempt, scorn, disdain”.[7] In Medieval Latin it is also an insult or act of violence, resistance or refusal to obey, and a breach of the law.[8] Köbler adds the medieval legal sense of contumacy.[5]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius of being despised.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar of the Gauls' contempt.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of contempt for the laws.[2][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian, often.[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Contempt, scorn, disdain;[2][1][7] contemptuī esse, to be despised.[2][1][7]
  2. The state of being despised, ignominy.[2][1]
  3. Disregard (of something).[2][6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) An insult, outrage; disobedience, contumacy.[8][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b c d e Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Contemptus.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/contemptus. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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