Condescend Definition
kŏndĭ-sĕnd
condescended, condescends
verb
condescended, condescends
To descend voluntarily to the level, regarded as lower, of the person one is dealing with; be graciously willing to do something regarded as beneath one's dignity; deign.
Webster's New World
To behave in a patronizing or superior manner toward someone.
Viewed as a popularizer more than a scholar, he was condescended to by his academic colleagues.
American Heritage
To deal with others in a proud or haughty way.
Webster's New World
To make concessions; agree; assent.
Webster's New World
(intransitive) To treat (someone) as though inferior; to be patronizing (toward someone); to talk down (to someone).
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Origin of Condescend
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From Middle English condescenden, from Old French condescendre, from Late Latin condescendere (“to let one's self down, stoop, condescend”), from Latin com- (“together”) + descendere (“to come down”); see descend.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English condescenden from Old French condescendre from Late Latin condēscendere Latin com- intensive pref. com– dēscendere to descend descend
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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