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con·temn

(kən-tĕm)

tr.v. con·temned, con·temn·ing, con·temns

To view with contempt; despise. See Synonyms at despise.

[Middle English contempnen, to slight, from Latin contemnere : com-, intensive pref.; see COM- + temnere, to despise.]

con·temner (-tĕmər, -tĕmnər) n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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