Words related to contempt
word-forming element usually meaning "with, together," from Latin com, archaic form of classical Latin cum "together, together with, in combination," from PIE *kom- "beside, near, by, with" (compare Old English ge-, German ge-). The prefix in Latin sometimes was used as an intensive.
Before vowels and aspirates, it is reduced to co-; before -g-, it is assimilated to cog- or con-; before -l-, assimilated to col-; before -r-, assimilated to cor-; before -c-, -d-, -j-, -n-, -q-, -s-, -t-, and -v-, it is assimilated to con-, which was so frequent that it often was used as the normal form.
mid-15c., contempnen, "to slight or spurn," from Old French contemner (15c.) or directly from Latin contemnere "to despise, scorn, consider (something or someone) as of small value," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + *temnere "to slight, scorn," which is of uncertain origin (see contempt). Of laws, agreements, etc., "consider and treat as contemptible," 1570s. Related: Contemned; contemning.
late 14c., "despicable, worthy of contempt," also "lowly, humble, unworthy," from Late Latin contemptibilis "worthy of scorn," from contempt-, past-participle stem of Latin contemnere "to scorn, despise," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + *temnere "to slight, scorn," which is of uncertain origin (see contempt). Related: Contemptibility; contemptibly; contemptibleness.
Contemptible is unworthy of notice, deserving of scorn, for littleness or meanness; it is generally not so strong as despicable, which always involves the idea of great baseness; as a contemptible trick; despicable treachery. [Century Dictionary]
