contumacy

[ kon-too-muh-see, -tyoo- ]
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noun,plural con·tu·ma·cies.
  1. stubborn perverseness or rebelliousness; willful and obstinate resistance or disobedience to authority.

Origin of contumacy

1
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

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British Dictionary definitions for contumacy

contumacy

/ (ˈkɒntjʊməsɪ) /


nounplural -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

Origin of contumacy

1
C14: from Latin contumācia, from contumāx obstinate; related to tumēre to swell, be proud

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