Supercilious describes someone showing haughty disdain, often by raising an eyebrow.
Supercilious describes someone showing haughty disdain, often by raising an eyebrow.
| Front | supercilious \soo-puhr-SIL-i-uhs\ |
|---|---|
| Back | adjective Showing haughty disdain. [The word alludes to someone being disdainful by raising an eyebrow. It's derived from Latin supercilium (eyebrow, pride), from super (above) + cilium (eyelid). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kel- (to cover, conceal, or save) that is also the source of hollow, hole, holster, hell, apocalypse, and eucalyptus. Earliest documented use: 1528.] "I'm all for 'moving on' from the two world wars, obviously. But I'm not quite so keen to 'move on' from the cocky, supercilious, haughty, and dismissive view of our great nation." |
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