Contemptive

//kənˈtɛmp.tɪv// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A word form expressing the negative attitude of the speaker.
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to, or creating a word form denoting the negative attitude of the speaker.

    "One of the most striking features of the vocabulary of Nishnaabemwin is the frequency that contemptive endings appear on basic (LEXICAL) noun forms, in other words, on noun stems that never occur without the contemptive suffix and which do not have salient contemptive force."

  2. 2
    Contemptuous. rare

    "A contemptive epithet applied to any place. “Sich a smuce!” a teetotaler would say in relating his experience of a gin-shop."

Example

More examples

"One of the most striking features of the vocabulary of Nishnaabemwin is the frequency that contemptive endings appear on basic (LEXICAL) noun forms, in other words, on noun stems that never occur without the contemptive suffix and which do not have salient contemptive force."

Etymology

From contempt + -ive.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.