What is the Latin word for contempt?

The usual Latin words for “contempt” are contemptiō, contemnō, dēspiciō; also fastīdium, contemptus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“contempt” in Latin

contemptiōcontempt, scorn, disdain contemnōto scorn, despise, show contempt; to disparage, consider a person or thing as unimportant or of small value; to disregar dēspiciōto look down upon; to disdain or despise; to look away, disregard fastīdiumloathing, disgust, disdain; squeamishness; fastidiousness contemptusa despising, contempting; contempt, scorn; a being despised, contempted; ignominy

The English word contempt itself goes back to Latin temnō, through contemptus.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

contempt

contemptio: contemptus: despicientia (a looking down with contempt upon anybody); (the words are found in this connection and order), contemptio et despicientia. spretio (a disdaining, Liv., 40, 5) [SYN. in DESPISE.] A proud contempt of others, fastidium: to fall into contempt, in contemptionem adduci (by anything, aliqua re); in contemptionem venire (with anybody, alicui): to be regarded with contempt, contemni (by anybody, ab aliquo): to be an object of contempt to anybody, contemptui or despicatui (not despectui) esse alicui: to draw contempt upon anybody, alicui contemptum or contemptionem afferre: with contempt, or in contempt, contemptim: cum contemptu: cum fastidio: to speak of anybody with contempt, contemptim loqui de aliquo: to look down upon anybody with contempt, despicere aliquem. Sometimes the participle contemnens may serve (e.g., transibat contemnens ossa, passed them by with contempt, Propert., 3, 1, extr.). “In contempt of anything,” by contemptus or neglectus in ablative absolute: he returned to Rome in contempt of all my entreaties, contemptis or neglectis precibus meis Romam rediit: one who shows contempt, contemptor: feminine contemptrix: spretor. Vid: CONTEMPTUOUSLY.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for contempt?: The usual Latin words for “contempt” are contemptiō, contemnō, dēspiciō; also fastīdium, contemptus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.