Wordwyrt

disdain

/dɪsˈdeɪn/dis-DAYN
/dɪsˈdeɪn/dis-DAYN

Meaningto deem unworthy

Common meaning: scorn

‘apart, away’ + ‘worthy’ → disdain

Journey through time

  1. Latindignus‘worthy’
  2. Old Frenchdesdeinsource
  3. Middle Englishdesdeynsource
  4. Englishdisdain‘scorn’ · today

dis- also in: disarmdiscerndiscorddisgustdismiss

dain also in: daintydignifydignityindignant

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin dignus ‘worthy’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry dignus, p. 578 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry DAINTY, p. 151 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

daintydignifydignityindignant

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