Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “contemptible” come from?

Contemptible comes from Latin contemptibilis, formed from the prefix con- meaning "together" and the adjective-forming suffix -ibilis.

contemptible (English): deserving contempt

Definitions

  1. deserving contempt

Ancestry of “contemptible”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincontemptibiliscontemptible
2Latincontemnō—
3Latincom-allomorph of con-
4Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “contemptible”

  • contemptibly
  • contemptibleness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →