Contempt

noun

/kənˈtɛmpt/

The offence of being disobedient to or disrespectful towards a court of law; under Article 129, the Supreme Court (and under Article 215, every High Court) has the power to punish for contempt of itself, covering both civil contempt (wilful disobedience of a court order) and criminal contempt (acts that scandalise or lower the authority of the court).

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

When the executive treats judicial directives with open contempt rather than reasoned dissent, it corrodes the constitutional comity on which the separation of powers ultimately depends.

Synonyms

scorndisdainderisiondisregardcontumelyopprobrium

Antonyms

respectadmirationesteemreverence

🌱 Word Family

contempt (n), contemptuous (adj), contemptuously (adv), contemptible (adj), contemptibly (adv), contemn (v)

🔡 Root

Latin con- (intensive) + temnere = to slight, despise → contemnere = to despise → contemptus = scorn

📜 Etymology

From Late Middle English, via Latin contemptus ("scorn"), from contemnere ("to despise"), formed from con- (intensive prefix) + temnere ("to slight, despise").

🧠 Memory Hook

CONTEMPT shares its root with "contemn" and "tempt" (Latin temnere, to despise): to hold someone in contempt is to "con-temn" them, to scorn them so thoroughly that they are beneath even temptation.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2022 — Judiciary

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Contempt” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Indian Judiciary — Supreme Court, High...

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