contumelious — insolently abusive and humiliating
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: insolently abusive and humiliating
Pronunciation (IPA): /kənˈtuːmiːliəs/
Example Sentences
- The food critic's contumelious review destroyed the restaurant's reputation overnight.
- Even his pet parrot started making contumelious squawks after listening to him complain all day.
- The defendant's contumelious outburst in court did not help his case.
contumelious
ADJECTIVE[/kənˈtuːmiːliəs/]
insolently abusive and humiliating

The duke's contumelious sneer at the peasant shocked everyone at the royal banquet.

The parsimonious boss grows contumelious, making the mood acrimonious!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'contumelia' meaning insult or disgrace. In ancient Rome, public insults were taken seriously and could lead to legal consequences.
Breakdown
contumel- (from Latin 'contumelia' meaning insult/disgrace) + -ious (adjective suffix meaning 'characterized by')
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The food critic's contumelious review destroyed the restaurant's reputation overnight.”
“Even his pet parrot started making contumelious squawks after listening to him complain all day.”
“The defendant's contumelious outburst in court did not help his case.”
“Her contumelious tone made even the customer service robot hang up on her.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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