Standard Lemma guide

vilipend

verb · 3 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈvɪlɪpɛnd/
  • Received-Pronunciation: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈvɪləˌpɛnd/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless; to despise, to look down on.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, formal, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: belittle, contemn, misprize, slight, bagatellize, banalize, cut down, de-emphasize, denigrate, degrade, deprecate, derogate, disparage, dispraise, downplay, lilliputianize, make little of, make nothing of, minimize, play down, set at nought, superficialize, trivialize, underestimate, underplay, understate, vilipend

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To express a disparaging opinion of; to slander or vilify.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, formal, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: abuse, disparage, derogate, assassinate, asperse, backbite, badmouth, befoul, belibel, besmirch, besmear, bewray, blacken, blame, blaze, blemish, blot, blur, calumniate, calumny, chat shit, chat shite, cloud, defame, demonize, denigrate, deprave, depreciate, detract, dirty, discredit, disgrace, disrepute, diss, drag through the mud, forgab, forspeak, foul, infamize, lampoon, libel, malign, monsterize, muddy, reproach, revile, scandal, shit-talk, slag, slander, smear, smirch, spatter, spot, speak ill of, stab, stain, sully, talk shit, talk shite, talk trash, tarnish, torch, traduce, trash-talk, unflatter, vilify, vilipend, villainize, wrong

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

belittle

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The teacher should not deprecate his student's efforts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deprecate, depreciate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disparage, belittle, pick at

Narrower terms: deflate, puncture

History

Etymology

From Middle English vilipenden (“to treat (something) as contemptible”) [and other forms], from Old French vilipender (modern French vilipender (“to condemn, despise, revile, scorn, vilipend, vilify”)), or its etymon Latin vilipendō, from vīlis (“cheap, inexpensive; base, mean, vile, worthless”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to buy, sell”)) + pendō (“to hang, suspend; to weigh, weigh out; (figuratively) to consider, ponder”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- (“to stretch”)). The English word is cognate with Italian vilipendere (“to despise, scorn, vilipend”), Portuguese vilipendiar (“to vilify”), Spanish vilipendiar (“to vilify”).

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: подценявам (podcenjavam) — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • Bulgarian: презирам (preziram) — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • Dutch: verachten — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • French: vilipender — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • French: mépriser — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • Italian: vilipendere — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • Russian: презира́ть (prezirátʹ) — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • Sicilian: vilipènniri — to treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless — see also despise
  • Bulgarian: злословя (zloslovja) — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • French: dénigrer — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Italian: vilipendere — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Italian: diffamare — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Italian: oltraggiare — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Portuguese: vilipendiar — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Russian: клевета́ть (klevetátʹ) — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Russian: поро́чить (poróčitʹ) — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Sicilian: nciuriari — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Sicilian: sdillèggiri — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Sicilian: vilipènniri — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify
  • Spanish: vilipendiar — to express a disparaging opinion of — see also disparage, vilify