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supercilious

 - 3 dictionary results

su⋅per⋅cil⋅i⋅ous

  [soo-per-sil-ee-uhs]
Use supercilious in a Sentence
–adjective
haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.
Origin:
1520–30; < L superciliōsus. See supercilium, -ous

Related forms:
su⋅per⋅cil⋅i⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
su⋅per⋅cil⋅i⋅ous⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
arrogant, scornful.

Antonyms:
humble.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To supercilious
su·per·cil·i·ous   (sōō'pər-sĭl'ē-əs)   
adj.  Feeling or showing haughty disdain. See Synonyms at proud.

[Latin superciliōsus, from supercilium, eyebrow, pride : super-, super- + cilium, lower eyelid; see kel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
su'per·cil'i·ous·ly adv., su'per·cil'i·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

supercilious 
1529, from L. superciliosus "haughty, arrogant," from supercilium "haughty demeanor, pride," lit. "eyebrow" (via notion of raising the eyebrow to express haughtiness), from super "above" (see super-) + cilium "eyelid," related to celare "to cover, hide," from PIE base *kel- "to conceal" (see cell).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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