dispiteous

[ dis-pit-ee-uhs ]

adjective

, Archaic.

1. malicious; cruel; pitiless.

Other Words From

• dis·pite·ous·ly adverb
• dis·pite·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dispiteous¹

1795–1805; earlier despiteous, alteration, after piteous, of dispitous, despitous, Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French; despite, -ous; later taken as dis- ¹ + piteous

Example Sentences

The morning had succeeded to the hopeless humidity of the night, and the drizzling rain fell with almost dispiteous persistence.

From Project Gutenberg