Word of the Day - 02/23/26
insolent
/'ɪnsələnt/(adj.): marked by casual disrespect
The employee's insolent tone when speaking to his manager was met with immediate disciplinary action.
Word Origin
The word 'insolent' originates from the Latin 'insolentem', the accusative form of 'insolens'. This Latin word means 'unusual, unaccustomed, immoderate, arrogant'. It is formed from the prefix 'in-' meaning 'not' or 'opposite of', combined with 'solens', the present participle of 'solere', which means 'to be accustomed' or 'to be used to'. Therefore, 'insolent' literally signifies 'not accustomed' or 'unaccustomed', referring to behavior that deviates from what is customary or appropriate. Over time, its meaning evolved to describe someone who is arrogant or disrespectfully bold.