French word

mépris

Pronunciation

IPA/mepʁi/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncontempt

Example

Il a montré du mépris envers ses collègues.

He showed contempt for his colleagues.

Illustration for mépris (contempt)

More examples

Les habitants ont accueilli la décision municipale avec mépris.

The residents received the municipal decision with contempt.

Core concept

A person places someone outside the circle of those worthy of respect and treats them as beneath notice.

Common phrases

  • faire preuve de mépris

    show contempt

  • un air de mépris

    an air of contempt

  • traiter avec mépris

    treat with contempt

Similar words

dédain: A scornful attitude toward something judged to be of low worth.
indifférence: Cold indifference marked by a lack of concern or attention.

Definition in French

Attitude ou sentiment de dédain consistant à considérer quelqu'un ou quelque chose indigne de respect et à le traiter comme sans valeur.

Word origin

Mépris comes from Old French mespris, the substantivized past participle of mesprendre, formed with mes- for wrongness and prendre for taking or judging.

Usage tips

  • Mépris takes pour with a person or thing in avoir du mépris pour, while mépriser takes its object directly without a preposition.

Other meanings

  • disregardnoun
  • disdainnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word