English Lexicon

Insolence

/ˈɪn.sə.ləns/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1500 frequency
Full Thesaurus

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    Behavior that shows a lack of respect for others; rudeness.

    "His insolence towards the teacher was shocking and unacceptable."
  2. 2

    An instance of insolent behavior.

    "The student's insolence during the meeting led to a reprimand."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'insolence' originates from the Latin 'insolentia', meaning 'unaccustomed' or 'unusual', which evolved through Old French 'insolence' in the 14th century, reflecting a shift towards the meaning of rudeness or disrespect.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Insolence"?

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Insolence"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Insolence" Synonym Map