affront

affront, insult

noun a-FRON Rare

Origin: From Old French affronter (to strike in the face), from Latin ad frontem (to the forehead).

Usage Note

affront denotes a deliberate, public insult to one's dignity. Essuyer un affront (to suffer an affront) and faire un affront à quelqu'un (to snub someone) are the standard collocations. It is more formal than insulte and carries an implication of social humiliation.

Examples

"Ce refus est un véritable affront."

Natural Translation

This refusal is a genuine affront.

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