insult

CEFRC1

/ɪnˈsʌlt/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To say or do something rude that offends someone.

  2. 02

    noun

    A rude word or action that offends someone.

Examples

  • It is nothing less than an insult to her.

  • It is an insult to her.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈɪnsʌlt/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To assail, assault, or attack; (specifically, military) to carry out an assault, attack, or onset without preparation.

  2. To behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (against or over someone).

  3. To be insensitive, insolent, or rude to (somebody); to affront or demean (someone).

More examples

In context

  • Your remark amounts almost to insult.

  • - Marvel owns your gods! - Insulting is not arguing.

  • The way the orchestra performed tonight was an insult to my ears.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

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Question 1 · Quick check

The angry customer shouted an blank at the cashier.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

The verb is derived from Middle French insulter (modern French insulter (“to insult”)) or its etymon Latin īnsultō (“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”), the frequentative form of īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + saliō (“to bound, jump, leap; to spring forth; to flow down”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (“to spring”)). The noun is derived from Middle French insult (modern French insulte (“insult”)) or its etymon Late Latin insultus (“insult, reviling, scoffing”), from īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”); see above.