Spanish Conversation · Level 125
59 words
Spanish word
desprecio
Pronunciation
IPA/desˈpɾeθjo/
Meaning
- masculine nouncontempt
Example
Él no ocultó su desprecio por la mentira.
He did not hide his contempt for the lie.
More examples
Ella mostró desprecio hacia sus comentarios.
She showed contempt for his comments.
Core concept
Deliberate social snub: turned back and cold glance.
Common phrases
mostrar desprecio
show contempt
con desprecio
with contempt
sentir desprecio
feel contempt
Similar words
desdén: Cool, superior disdain that minimizes a person's worth through aloofness.
menosprecio: Stance of treating people or things as of little worth through neglect or disregard.
desaire: Deliberate social coldness or brusque refusal of courtesy that snubs someone.
Definition in Spanish
Sentimiento o actitud de menosprecio hacia alguien o algo, que se muestra por trato indiferente, palabras hirientes o gestos desdeñosos.
Word origin
From Latin despectus (from despicere 'to look down on'), literally 'looking down', later used for treating someone as unworthy.
Usage tips
- Common collocations are mostrar desprecio and sentir desprecio por alguien, and in everyday speech Spanish speakers may choose milder words like desdén or desagrado to avoid offending.
Other meanings
- snubnoun
Opposites
- respetorespectnoun
- aprecioesteemnoun
Related words
- despreciardespiseverb
- despreciabledespicableadjective
- despreciadodespisedadjective