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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

vilipend en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈvɪləˌpɛnd/ (General-American)
  • /ˈvɪlɪpɛnd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (Received-Pronunciation) audio

Etymology

From Middle English vilipenden (“to treat (something) as contemptible”) [and other forms], from Old French vilipender (modern French vilipender (“to condemn, despise, revile, scorn, vilipend, vilify”)), or its etymon Latin vilipendō, from vīlis (“cheap, inexpensive; base, mean, vile, worthless”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to buy, sell”)) + pendō (“to hang, suspend; to weigh, weigh out; (figuratively) to consider, ponder”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- (“to stretch”)). The English word is cognate with Italian vilipendere (“to despise, scorn, vilipend”), Portuguese vilipendiar (“to vilify”), Spanish vilipendiar (“to vilify”).

Meanings

  1. (dated, formal, transitive) To treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless; to despise, to look down on.
  2. (dated, formal, transitive) To express a disparaging opinion of; to slander or vilify.
    • But, for all their feint of nonchalance, these young persons have no other task in life but to explain and extol their own conduct and to vilipend their critics and opponents. 1917, O. W. Firkins, The Nation, The Nation Company, page 176:
    • But we desire, most unhesitatingly to condemn and vilipend a system of continual abuse, intended to fall upon the provincial Government, but in reality reaching and injuring the public at large. 1853 July 10, “Evil Birds”, in The Colonist, New Zealand: Nelson, page 4:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
vilipend Number=Plur, Tense=Pres lexicographic
vilipend VerbForm=Inf lexicographic
vilipend Mood=Sub, Tense=Pres lexicographic
vilipend Number=Sing, Person=1, Tense=Pres lexicographic
vilipend Mood=Imp, Tense=Pres lexicographic
vilipend Number=Sing, Person=2, Tense=Pres lexicographic
vilipended Number=Plur, Tense=Past lexicographic
vilipended Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Past lexicographic
vilipended Number=Sing, Person=2, Tense=Past lexicographic
vilipended Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
vilipended Mood=Sub, Tense=Past lexicographic
vilipended Number=Sing, Person=1, Tense=Past lexicographic
vilipended Tense=Past lexicographic
vilipending Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
vilipends Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
vilipendeth Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres archaic lexicographic

Deriveds

vilipending · vilipended · vilipender

Relateds

vilify · vilifier · vilification

Synonyms

banalize · disrepute · dispraise · play down · lampoon · revile · forgab · depreciate · disparage · blot · contemn · reproach · bewray · forspeak · denigrate · de-emphasize · spot · diss · disgrace · set at nought · talk shite · scandal · understate · unflatter · blaze · slag · underplay · blemish · detract · torch · misprize · vilify · smear · chat shite · stain · tarnish · deprave · lilliputianize · vilipend · underestimate · besmirch · blacken · calumny · foul · derogate · bagatellize · slander · monsterize · stab · superficialize · derogate · belibel · blur · belittle · trash-talk · disparage · deprecate · make little of · befoul · asperse · besmear · calumniate · denigrate · degrade · backbite · discredit · spatter · talk shit · speak ill of · slight · cut down · vilipend · abuse · traduce · make nothing of · libel · trivialize · badmouth · smirch · cloud · talk trash · sully · downplay · drag through the mud · malign · blame · muddy · demonize · minimize · villainize · defame · dirty · assassinate · belittle · wrong · chat shit · shit-talk · infamize · disparage

Translations (20)

bg подценявам (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · scn vilipènniri (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · es vilipendiar (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · ru презира́ть (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · nl verachten (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · pt vilipendiar (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · bg злословя (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · scn nciuriari (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · fr mépriser (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · bg презирам (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · it vilipendere (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · scn vilipènniri (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · fr dénigrer (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · it oltraggiare (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · ru поро́чить (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · it vilipendere (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · scn sdillèggiri (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · fr vilipender (to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise) · it diffamare (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify) · ru клевета́ть (to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify)