insult

Definition of insult

Etymology

Latin insultare ("to jump at"), from salire ("to jump")

Pronunciation

• (verb) enPR: ĭnsŭlt', IPA: /ɪnˈsʌlt/, SAMPA: /In"sVlt/
• (noun) enPR: ĭn'sŭlt, IPA: /ˈɪn.sʌlt/, SAMPA: "In.sVlt/
• Audio (US) ^[?]
• Rhymes: -ʌlt

Verb

to insult (third-person singular simple present insults, present participle insulting, simple past and past participle insulted)

1. (transitive) To offend someone by being rude, insensitive or insolent
2. (transitive) To demean or affront

Synonyms

• (to offend): abuse, affront, offend, slight

Noun

insult (plural insults)

1. An action or form of speech deliberately intended to be rude.
2. Anything that causes offence/offense by being of an unacceptable quality.
   
   The way the orchestra performed tonight was an insult to my ears.

Synonyms

• (deliberatedly intended to be rude): abuse (uncountable), affront, offence (UK)/offense (US), slam, slight, slur
• (thing causing offence by being of unacceptable quality): disgrace, outrage

Related terms

• insolence
• insultation

Anagrams

• Alphagram: ilnstu
• sunlit
• unlist