16 November 2013
contumely
[kon-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-; kuhn-too-muh-lee, -tyoo-; kon-tuhm-lee, -tyoom, -chuhm]
noun, plural con·tu·me·lies.
1. insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.
2. a humiliating insult.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English contumelie (< Anglo-French ) < Latin contumēlia, perhaps akin to contumāx (see contumacy), though formation and sense development are unclear
Related forms
con·tu·me·li·ous [kon-too-mee-lee-uhs, -tyoo-] Show IPA , adjective
con·tu·me·li·ous·ly, adverb
con·tu·me·li·ous·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. abuse, scorn, disdain, rudeness.
Today’s aphorism
Seek the truth or hide your head in the sand. Both require digging.
– Andrew Nolan
On this day
16 November 1793 – During the French Revolution, 90 Catholic priests who were opposed to the Republic, are executed by drowning at Nantes.
16 November 1938 – Swiss scientist, Dr Albert Hofmann, creates the synthetic drug, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), at the Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland.
16 November 1945 – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is founded in order ‘to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice and the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion’.
16 November 1988 – 35 year old, Benazir Bhutto elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman elected to lead a Muslim state. She was a member of the democratic-socialist Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).