insult definition | Dictionary.com

Synonyms

affront, huff, miff, offend, outrage, pique, contumely, despite, offense, slight, gibe, jeer

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insult - 7 dictionary results

in⋅sult

[v. in-suhlt; n. in-suhlt]

–verb (used with object)

1.	to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.

2.	to affect as an affront; offend or demean.

3.	Archaic. to attack; assault.

–verb (used without object)

4.	Archaic. to behave with insolent triumph; exult contemptuously (usually fol. by on, upon, or over).

–noun

5.	an insolent or contemptuously rude action or remark; affront.

6.	something having the effect of an affront: That book is an insult to one's intelligence.

Medicine/Medical.

a.	an injury or trauma.

b.	an agent that inflicts this.

8.	Archaic. an attack or assault.

Origin:
1560–70; < L insultāre to jump on, insult, equiv. to in- in- ² + -sultāre, comb. form of saltāre to jump; see saltant

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Language Translation for : insult

Spanish:

insultar,

German:

beleidigen,

Japanese:

侮辱する

View 30 other languages »

in·sult   (ĭn-sŭlt') Pronunciation Key
v.   in·sult·ed, in·sult·ing, in·sults

v.   tr.

1. To treat with gross insensitivity, insolence, or contemptuous rudeness. See Synonyms at offend.
2. To affront or demean: an absurd speech that insulted the intelligence of the audience.
Obsolete To make an attack on.

v. intr. Archaic

To behave arrogantly.
To give offense; offend: a speech that was intended to insult.

n. (ĭn'sŭlt')

An offensive action or remark.
1. Medicine A bodily injury, irritation, or trauma.
2. Something that causes bodily injury, irritation, or trauma: "the middle of the Bronx, buffeted and poisoned by the worst environmental insults that urban America can dish out" (William K. Stevens).

[French insulter, from Old French, to assault, from Latin īnsultāre, to leap at, insult, frequentative of īnsilīre, to leap upon : in-, on; see in-² + salīre, to leap; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]

in·sult'er n., in·sult'ing·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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insult (v.)

c.1570, "triumph over in an arrogant way," from L. insultare "to assail, to leap upon" (already used by Cicero in sense of "insult, scoff at, revile"), freq. of insilire "leap at or upon," from in- "on, at" + salire "to leap" (see salient). Sense of "to verbally abuse, affront, assail with disrespect" is from 1620. The noun is recorded 1603 in the sense of "attack;" 1671 as "an act of insulting." To add insult to injury translates L. injuriæ contumeliam addere.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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insult
noun
1.	a rude expression intended to offend or hurt; "when a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse"; "they yelled insults at the visiting team" [syn: abuse]
2.	a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect; "turning his back on me was a deliberate insult"
verb
1.	treat, mention, or speak to rudely; "He insulted her with his rude remarks"; "the student who had betrayed his classmate was dissed by everyone" [syn: diss]

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Insult

Af*front"\, n. [Cf. F. affront, fr. affronter.]

1. An encounter either friendly or hostile. [Obs.]

I walked about, admired of all, and dreaded On hostile ground, none daring my affront. --Milton.

2. Contemptuous or rude treatment which excites or justifies resentment; marked disrespect; a purposed indignity; insult.

Offering an affront to our understanding. --Addison.

3. An offense to one's self-respect; shame. --Arbuthnot.

Syn: Affront, Insult, Outrage.

Usage: An affront is a designed mark of disrespect, usually in the presence of others. An insult is a personal attack either by words or actions, designed to humiliate or degrade. An outrage is an act of extreme and violent insult or abuse. An affront piques and mortifies; an insult irritates and provokes; an outrage wounds and injures.

Captious persons construe every innocent freedom into an affront. When people are in a state of animosity, they seek opportunities of offering each other insults. Intoxication or violent passion impels men to the commission of outrages. --Crabb.

Insult

In"sult\, n. [L. insultus, fr. insilire to leap upon: cf. F. insulte. See Insult, v. t.]

1. The act of leaping on; onset; attack. [Obs.] --Dryden.

2. Gross abuse offered to another, either by word or act; an act or speech of insolence or contempt; an affront; an indignity.

The ruthless sneer that insult adds to grief. --Savage.

Syn: Affront; indignity; abuse; outrage; contumely. See Affront.

Insult

In"sult\, n. [L. insultus, fr. insilire to leap upon: cf. F. insulte. See Insult, v. t.]

1. The act of leaping on; onset; attack. [Obs.] --Dryden.

2. Gross abuse offered to another, either by word or act; an act or speech of insolence or contempt; an affront; an indignity.

The ruthless sneer that insult adds to grief. --Savage.

Syn: Affront; indignity; abuse; outrage; contumely. See Affront.