Sentence:  He was self-conscious about the brace and wore a jacket even on the hottest days. It held him abnormally erect. His face was tight from the discomfort and frustration. His posture was mistaken for a sign of arrogance, his expression for disdain and <WSD>condescension</WSD>. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A patronizing attitude or behavior. (from 1930s)