Dictionary

scornful en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈskɔɹnfəl/ (General-American)
• /ˈskɔːnfəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle English scorn Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós Proto-Germanic *fullaz Proto-Germanic *-fullaz Old English -ful Middle English -ful Middle English scornful English scornful Inherited from Middle English scornful; equivalent to scorn + -ful.

Meanings

1. Showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous; scathing; withering.
   • Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brovv, / And dart not ſcornefull glances from thoſe eies, / To vvound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour. c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 229, column 1:
   • Bleſſed is that man that hath not walked in the counſaile of the vngodly: nor ſtand in the waye of ſynners, and hath not ſit in the ſeate of ſkornefull. 1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “The Introites, Collectes, Epistles, and Gospels to be Used at the Celebracion of the Lordes Supper & Holy Communion, throughe the Yeare: With Proper Psalmes, and Lessons for Diuers Feastes and Dayes”, in The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC, folio viia, recto:
   • Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics." 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Silverside”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 316:

Forms

Deriveds

scornfully · scornfulness

Synonyms

blistering · slight · despising · sneerful · sniffy · disdainful · disrespectful · contumelious · low · belittling · scathing · dismissive · contemptuous · slighting · deprecative · disrespectful · sneerful · derogative · withering · blistering · scornful

Translations (30)

el περιφρονητικός (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · fi ylenkatseellinen (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · nl minachtend (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · uk прези́рливий (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · ru надме́нный (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · fi halveksiva (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · cmn 輕視的 /轻视的 (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · fr dédaigneux (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · es despreciativo (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · ko 냉소적인 (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · cs pohrdavý (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · el καταφρονητικός (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · bg пренебрежителен (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · sv föraktfull (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · nl minachtende (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · de verächtlich (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · bg презрителен (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · pl pogardliwy (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · enm scornful (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · mi hīkaka te ihu (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · fi ivallinen (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · uk знева́жливий (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · txb erkatte (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · fa تحقیرآمیز (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · ko 경멸적 (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · it sprezzante (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · it disprezzante (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · ru презри́тельный (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · it sdegnoso (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous) · fr méprisant (showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous)