desprezado

Desprezado is a Portuguese adjective and the past participle of the verb desprezar. It describes someone or something that is not valued, neglected, or treated with contempt or disdain. The term can refer to a person who is disregarded by others or to an object, idea, or attitude that is considered unworthy of attention. In gendered form, the masculine singular is desprezado and the feminine singular is desprezada; the plural forms are desprezados (masculine) and desprezadas (feminine).

Usage and nuances: Desprezado can function attributively (desprezado homem; mulher desprezada) or predicatively (ele foi desprezado pela família; ela se sentia desprezada pela equipe). The noun form o desprezado is possible but relatively uncommon; more often one uses a noun phrase such as a pessoa desprezada or o excluído.

Etymology and related terms: Desprezado derives from desprezar, formed with the prefix de- added to prezar (to prize or value). Related words include desprezo (contempt or disdain), desprezível (despicable or contemptible), and desprezando (despising). Other near-synonyms include rejeitado (rejected), desconsiderado (disregarded), and ignorado (ignored).

See also: desprezo, desprezar, desprezível, rejeitar. Desprezado is commonly found in literary and journalistic Portuguese to describe social exclusion, contemptuous attitudes, or emotional distance within relationships and communities.