adjective
haughty
HAW-tee/ˈhɔːti/
Acting superior to others and looking down on them.
Her haughty expression accompanies a dismissive turn from the offered handshake.
Etymology
Haut meant “high” and also “proud”: height became an image for being high in one's own estimation. The adjective ending reinforces a quality already present in the base.
In context
fore legs, his head craned high, his ears erect, his mane bristling, his red nostrils opening and shutting with wrath, and his flashing eyes turning from side to side in haughty menace and defiance.
More examples
- Her haughty manner makes new colleagues uncomfortable.
- The character speaks in a haughty voice that suggests everyone is beneath him.
- She becomes less haughty after learning from her mistake.
Forms
haughty · haughtier · haughtiest
Similar words
- arrogant
- The broader term for an exaggerated sense of superiority.
- condescending
- Condescending treats others as inferior; haughty emphasizes aloof pride and superiority.