despite

[dih-spahyt]

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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.

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

Synonyms for despite

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1. See notwithstanding.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for despites

shame, disgrace, affront, slight, blasphemy, taunt, indignity, invective, slap, disrespect, put-down, slander, abuse, snub, libel, outrage, scorn, contempt, grudge, enmity

British Dictionary definitions for despites

despite

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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for despites

despite

c.1300, originally a noun, from Old French despit (12c., Modern French dépit), from Latin despectus "a looking down on, scorn, contempt," from past participle of despicere (see despise).

The preposition (early 15c.) is short for in despite of (late 13c.), a loan-translation of Old French en despit de "in contempt of." Almost became despight during 16c. spelling reform.