Related Searches
Nearby Words
Synonyms

contumacy

 [kon-too-muh-see, -tyoo-]   Origin

con·tu·ma·cy

   [kon-too-muh-see, -tyoo-]
noun, plural con·tu·ma·cies.
stubborn perverseness or rebelliousness; willful and obstinate resistance or disobedience to authority.
Origin:
1150–1200; Middle English contumacie < Latin contumācia, equivalent to contumāc-, stem of contumāx unyielding, stubborn (con- con- + -tum- of uncertain sense, though connected by classical authors with both contemnere to regard with contempt and tumēre to swell) + -āx adj. suffix) + -ia -ia
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To contumacy

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Contumacy is always a great word to know.
So is congregate. Does it mean:
assemble in large numbers
self-restraint or abstinence
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Collins
World English Dictionary
contumacy (ˈkɒntjʊməsɪ)
 
—n , pl -cies
1.  obstinate and wilful rebelliousness or resistance to authority; insubordination; disobedience
2.  the wilful refusal of a person to appear before a court or to comply with a court order
 
[C14: from Latin contumācia, from contumāx obstinate; related to tumēre to swell, be proud]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

contumacy
late 14c., from L. contumacia, noun of quality from contumax (see contumely).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT