Standard Lemma guide

scornfully

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American: /ˈskɔɹnfəli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈskɔːnfəli/
  • rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)nfəli

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a scornful manner; contemptuously, derisively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

without respect; in a disdainful manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she spoke of him contemptuously

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contemptuously, disdainfully, contumeliously

Antonyms: none provided

History

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 Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly Middle English scornfully English scornfully Inherited from Middle English scornfully; equivalent to scornful + -ly (adverbial suffix).

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: ivallisesti — in a scornful manner
  • Finnish: halveksivasti — in a scornful manner
  • German: verachtend — in a scornful manner
  • Hebrew: בְּבִטּוּל — in a scornful manner
  • Latin: contemptim — in a scornful manner
  • Middle English: scornfully — in a scornful manner
  • Ukrainian: прези́рливо (prezýrlyvo) — in a scornful manner
  • Ukrainian: знева́жливо (znevážlyvo) — in a scornful manner