effrontery means insolent and shameless audacity. It carries an Arena rating of 1873, earned across 29 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, effrontery ranks #715 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #1,098 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,192 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #1,775 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words.
effrontery is pronounced /ɪˈfɹʌntəɹi/.
Why “effrontery” is a great word
Insolent and shameless audacity. From French effronterie, from effronté ('shameless, insolent'), from Vulgar Latin *exfrontātus, from Latin effrōns ('barefaced'), from ex- ('out, without') + frōns ('forehead, brow'), the term was first attested in English in the early 18th century. Unlike audacity, which can cloak a neutral or even admirable daring, or temerity, which implies a rash boldness before danger, effrontery is a cold, offensive disrespect, a social impudence wholly devoid of remorse. It is the unblinking stare of a liar caught in the act, the demand for a reward after delivering a grievous insult, the polished smile of the guest who arrives empty-handed to consume your last provisions—the breathtaking spectacle of a conscience not merely dormant but entirely absent.
Etymology
From late 17th century French effronterie, from effronté (“shameless, insolent”), from Old French esfronté, from Vulgar Latin *exfrontātus. Compare Latin effrōns (“barefaced”), from the prefix ex- (“from”) + frōns (“forehead”) (English: front). By surface analysis, ef- + front + -er + -y.
noun
- Insolent and shameless audacity.e.g.“We even had the effrontery to suggest that he should leave the country.”
- An act of insolent and shameless audacity.e.g.“Any refusal to salute the president shall be counted as an effrontery.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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