The Hebrew hapax legomenon bizzayon (בִּזָּיוֹן) appears only once in the Old Testament (Esther 1:18) and means contempt, dishonor, or disrespect. The word is derived from the verb bazah (H959, to despise) and captures the social damage that Queen Vashti's refusal to appear before Ahasuerus could cause if left unchecked — a cascade of disrespect spreading through the empire's households.
Though bizzayon appears only once, its context in Esther is theologically rich. The irony of Esther's narrative is that the king's advisors' concern about women showing contempt to their husbands leads to Vashti's removal — making way for Esther, whose courage to approach the king uninvited would ultimately save an entire people. What the Persian court feared — contempt for authority — was exactly what Esther had to risk in obedience to God. God works through the power politics of contempt and honor to accomplish His redemptive purposes.