# insult

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪnˈsʌlt/ · frequency rank #7,240

## Definitions
1. To be insensitive, insolent, or rude to (somebody); to affront or demean (someone).
2. To assail, assault, or attack; (specifically, military) to carry out an assault, attack, or onset without preparation.
3. To behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (against or over someone).
4. To leap or trample upon.

## Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle French insulter (modern French insulter (“to insult”)) or its etymon Latin īnsultō (“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”), the frequentative form of īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + saliō (“to bound, jump, leap; to spring forth; to flow down”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (“to spring”)).
The noun is derived from Middle French insult (modern French insulte (“insult”)) or its etymon Late Latin insultus (“insult, reviling, scoffing”), from īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”); see above.

## Easily confused with
- **Inuit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insult-vs-inuit)
- **insure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insult-vs-insure)
- **insults** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insult-vs-insults)
- **insulted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insult-vs-insulted)
- **input** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/input-vs-insult)
- **inset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inset-vs-insult)
- **insist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insist-vs-insult)
- **insert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insert-vs-insult)
- **insect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insect-vs-insult)
- **insulin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insulin-vs-insult)
- **insular** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insular-vs-insult)
- **insulate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insulate-vs-insult)

## Common misspellings (9)
`innsult`, `inslut`, `inssult`, `insullt`, `insultt`, `insutl`, `inuslt`, `isnult`, `nisult`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/insult