haughty
HAW-tee
/ˈhɔː.ti/
Arrogantly superior and disdainful; aloofly proud.
Conveys physical stance and facial expression—nose tilted up, distant posture, cold aristocratic disdain.
The story behind the word. Traced to Old French 'haut', meaning high. It evolved into English to describe someone who literally holds their head high above everyone else, breathing superior air.
Word relationships
- supercilious: Supercilious focuses specifically on facial cues like raised eyebrows, while haughty describes an overall aloof, aristocratic stance.
- arrogant: Arrogant is active and loud in asserting superiority; haughty is cold, detached, and distant.
- unpretentious: Not trying to appear elevated or superior.
- approachable: Easy to meet and converse with.
Commonly confused with
- naughty: Naughty means disobedient or mischievous; haughty means disdainfully arrogant.
Word family
- haughtiness (noun): The quality of being haughty; aloof pride.
- haughtily (adverb): In a haughty or disdainful manner.
Collocations
- haughty look
- haughty air
- haughty demeanor
- haughty disdain
Idioms & expressions
- high and mighty
- turn up one's nose
Example sentences
- "The duchess swept into the ball with a haughty glance that made the local nobility feel instantly inadequate." Novel description
- "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Biblical translation citation
Memory hook
HAUGHTY people think they are HIGH and MIGHTY. Nose in the air, cold stare.
When not to use
Avoid using for noisy, enthusiastic bragging; haughty is cold, aloof, and quiet.
Fun facts
- The spelling acquired an unpronounced 'gh' in the 16th century simply because English scribes liked modeling words after 'naughty' and 'caught'.
Related words
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