Word of the Day 3.13.09
supercilious
su·per·cil·i·ous (s
p
r-s
l
-s)
adj.
Feeling or showing haughty disdain. See Synonyms at proud.
[Latin supercili
sus, from supercilium, eyebrow, pride : super-, super- + cilium, lower eyelid; see kel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
super·cili·ous·ly adv.
super·cili·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
| Adj. | 1. | supercilious – having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy; “some economists are disdainful of their colleagues in other social disciplines”; “haughty aristocrats”; “his lordly manners were offensive”; “walked with a prideful swagger”; “very sniffy about breaches of etiquette”; “his mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air”; “a more swaggering mood than usual”- W.L.Shirer
proud – feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; “proud parents”; “proud of his accomplishments”; “a proud moment”; “proud to serve his country”; “a proud name”; “proud princes”
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| 2. | supercilious – expressive of contempt; “curled his lip in a supercilious smile”; “spoke in a sneering jeering manner”; “makes many a sharp comparison but never a mean or snide one”
uncomplimentary – tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage
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