contemptuous

/kənˈtɛm(p).tʃu.əs/

//kənˈtɛm(p).tʃu.əs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"contemptuous" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“contemptuous” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #44,707. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#44,707
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect.

Corpus desk

Index EN-contemptuous · contemptuous · English

contemptuous · rank #44,707 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #44,707
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH conniving

Nearest frequency peer: conniving (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “contemptuous”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “contemptuous” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for contemptuous
PropertyValue
Headwordcontemptuous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kənˈtɛm(p).tʃu.əs/
Letters12
Frequency rank#44,707
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “contemptuous”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).contemptuouslands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “conniving” (#44,706), “Corvallis” (#44,709), “cosmetology” (#44,710). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “contemptuous” is #44,707. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around contemptuous (IPA /kənˈtɛm(p).tʃu.əs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #44,707 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for contemptuous, with forms such as "ccontemptuous", "cnotemptuous", and "conetmptuous". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin contemptus (whence contempt) + -ous. The correct English form is contemptuous, spelled C-O-N-T-E-M-P-T-U-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect.
  2. 2
    Worthy of contempt; contemptible.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how contemptuous appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I don't know that guy, but he just gave me a contemptuous look.
  2. Sir George burst into a loud fit of contemptuous laughter.

Etymology

From Latin contemptus (whence contempt) + -ous.

Synonyms

disdainfuldismissiveslighting

Antonyms

respectful

This word in other languages

méprisant(Français)respektlos(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccontemptuous
  • cnotemptuous
  • conetmptuous
  • conntemptuous
  • contemmptuous
  • contempptuous
  • contemptouus
  • contempttuous
  • contemptuosu
  • contemptuouss
  • contemptuuos
  • contemputous
  • contemtpuous
  • contepmtuous
  • contmeptuous
  • conttemptuous
  • cotnemptuous
  • ocntemptuous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of contemptuous - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccontemptuous1cnotemptuous2conetmptuous2conntemptuous1contemmptuous1contempptuous1contemptouus2contempttuous1
Edit distance from "contemptuous"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "contemptuous"?
"contemptuous" is spelled C-O-N-T-E-M-P-T-U-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈtɛm(p).tʃu.əs/.
What does "contemptuous" mean?
As an adjective, "contemptuous" means: Showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect.
What are common misspellings of "contemptuous"?
Common misspellings include "ccontemptuous", "cnotemptuous", "conetmptuous", "conntemptuous", "contemmptuous". The correct spelling is "contemptuous".
How do you pronounce "contemptuous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contemptuous" is /kənˈtɛm(p).tʃu.əs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "contemptuous"?
From Latin contemptus (whence contempt) + -ous. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "contemptuous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

characterise#44,682exasperation#44,765flamethrower#44,787autonomously#44,626

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

chronograph18 variantsgeotechnical18 variantsheartbreaker18 variantsimpregnable18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list