despite
[ dih-spahyt ]
/ dɪˈspaɪt /
preposition
in spite of; notwithstanding.
noun
contemptuous treatment; insult.
malice, hatred, or spite.
verb (used with object), de·spit·ed, de·spit·ing.
Obsolete. to anger or annoy (someone) out of spite.
Nearby words
desperado, desperate, desperation, despicable, despise, despite, despiteful, despiteous, despoil, despoliation, despond
Idioms
in despite of, in spite of; notwithstanding: He was tolerant in despite of his background and education.
Origin of despite
1250–1300; orig. in despite of; Middle English despit < Old French < Latin dēspectus view from a height, scorn, equivalent to dēspec-, variant stem of dēspicere (see despicable) + -tus suffix of v. action
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for despites
despite
/ (dɪˈspaɪt) /
preposition
in spite of; undeterred by
noun
archaic contempt; insult
in despite of (preposition) rare in spite of
verb
(tr) an archaic word for spite
Word Origin for despite
C13: from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectus contempt; see despise
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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