COMMONLY CONFUSED: Contempt vs. Content
Make sure you know the difference
Saturdays are perfect days to clarify communication confusion. Surprise, we’re talking about the differences between the words contempt and content today!
The English language isn’t easy to master, considering its abundance of homophones. That many words sound similar to each other certainly presents one problem to speakers. Another increasingly common issue occurs when we mistake a word we know with one we don’t. Hence the confusion between the words content and contempt.
The word content and its many derivations are based on the common root TEN- meaning to hold in words like tenure and untenable. Content is particularly pervasive because of its versatility as noun, verb, and adjective:
content (adj) - pleased, satisfied, or happy with what one has or is
BREAKDOWN: CON- (with) + TEN- (hold)
—content as a noun describes the substance, matter, or meaning contained or held within a thing; expression through any form of media such as a book or blog
—content as a verb means to gratify, placate, or appease
—contented also means fulfilled, satisfied, or at peace
—contentment is the state of acceptance, inner peace, or satisfaction
—discontent is dissatisfaction, uneasiness, or resentment
The word contempt, on the other hand, seems to have fallen out of common usage in younger generations, at least among those who behave themselves in court:
contempt (noun) - a feeling of intense disrespect, disregard, or dislike; a show of disobedience or disrespect
BREAKDOWN: CON- (very) + TEMN- (to scorn or slight)
—contemptible means despicable or deserving of disdain
—contemptuous means scornful, disapproving, or disrespectful
Contempt is a great word to know, even if it’s not a good emotion to harbor!
“To be content with little is difficult; to be content with much, impossible.” —Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach