contemn
/kənˈtɛm/
"contemn" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“contemn” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To disdain; to value at little or nothing; to treat or regard with contempt.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | contemn |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /kənˈtɛm/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “contemn” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for contemn is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈtɛm/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
contemn doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English contempnen, from Old French contemner, from Latin contemnō (“to scorn”). See also contempt. The correct English form is contemn, spelled C-O-N-T-E-M-N.
Definition
- 1To disdain; to value at little or nothing; to treat or regard with contempt.
- 2To commit an offence of contempt, such as contempt of court; to unlawfully flout (e.g. a ruling).
Etymology
From Middle English contempnen, from Old French contemner, from Latin contemnō (“to scorn”). See also contempt.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “contemn”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-T-E-M-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /kənˈtɛm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.