condescension
con·de·scen·sion/kɑndiˈsɛnʃən/noun
condescension is spelled C-O-N-D-E-S-C-E-N-S-I-O-N: 13 letters and 4 syllables (con·de·scen·sion). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, condescension means “The act of condescending; a manner of behaving in an outwardly polite way that nevertheless implies superiority to another; patronizing courtesy…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of condescension is condescensions.
How many letters and syllables are in condescension?
| Letters | 13: C-O-N-D-E-S-C-E-N-S-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: con·de·scen·sion |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 41,154th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is condescension?
Condescension appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce condescension?
- US /kɑndiˈsɛnʃən/
- UK /kɒndiˈsɛnʃən/
Condescension has 4 syllables, split con·de·scen·sion in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-condescension.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with condescension?
9 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as condescension from its last stressed vowel (/ɛnʃən/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of condescension
- condescensions plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does condescension mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The act of condescending; a manner of behaving in an outwardly polite way that nevertheless implies superiority to another; patronizing courtesy toward inferiors.
Conscious condescension breeds panderers and enemies, not friends.
- 2
derogatoryA patronizing attitude or behavior.
- 3
archaicCourtesy, affability of a superior towards an inferior.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Condescension in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense act of condescending:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | condescendance |
| German | Herablassung, Kondeszendenz |
| Portuguese | condescendência |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does condescension come from?
From Latin condēscēnsiō.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).