Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

scornful

/ˈskɔɹnfəl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.29 in modern English

Syllables: scorn-ful
IPA: /ˈskɔɹnfəl/

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous; scathing; withering.

Example Sentences

"Bleſſed is that man that hath not walked in the counſaile of the vngodly: nor ſtand in the waye of ſynners, and hath not ſit in the ſeate of ſkornefull."
"Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brovv, / And dart not ſcornefull glances from thoſe eies, / To vvound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour."
"Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics.""

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle English scorn Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós Proto-Germanic *fullaz Proto-Germanic *-fullaz Old English -ful Middle English -ful Middle English scornful English scornful Inherited from Middle English scornful; equivalent to scorn + -ful.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: scornful
Suffix: scorn

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈskɔɹnfəl/
British English: /ˈskɔːnfəl/

Inflected Forms

more scornful (comparative) most scornful (superlative)

Derived Forms

scornfully scornfulness

Synonyms

blistering disrespectful sneerful belittling contemptuous contumelious deprecative derogative despising disdainful dismissive low

Rhymes With

mournful

Questions

How do you pronounce scornful?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈskɔɹnfəl/.
What does scornful mean?: Showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous; scathing; withering.
Where does scornful come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce scornful

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