haughty English · revision 1332

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhɔːti/ ''(UK)''; /ˈhɔti/, /ˈhɑti/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an extension of obsolete ''haught'' “high, proud”^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) with the suffix [[-y]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) on the model of ''might/mighty'' and ''naught/naughty''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) ''Haught'' is from Middle English ''haute'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) from [[fro|haut|t=high]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la|altus|t=high]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) with an initial ''h-'' from Frankish ''*hōh'' “high”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) The spelling with ''-gh-'' arose in the late 16th century after words like ''caught''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Too proud; lofty and disdainful (1530).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The earlier ''haute'' meant noble or excellent,^(Barnhart 1995) and ''haughty'' also had the sense of exalted or high-minded (1563),^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) now archaic.^(OED 1989) The literal sense “high, lofty” is obsolete.^(OED 1989) Middle English also had ''hautein'' and ''hautif'' in the sense “proud”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * probably before 1400 – ''haute'', noble.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1530 – too proud, disdainful.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1563 – exalted, lofty in character, now archaic.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1570 – literally high, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Scornfully and condescendingly proud; [[arrogant]] or [[supercilious]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Lofty or noble.^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[haughtily]]

+ * [[haughtiness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hauteur]]

+ * [[altitude]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''lordly'', ''disdainful'' and ''contemptuous'' as synonyms, refers to ''proud'' for a discussion, and gives ''humble'', ''unpretentious'' and ''unassuming'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}