despise

The story

1. Latin · derived fromdēspicere“to look down upon, despise, scorn”
2. Old French · derived fromdespis-
3. Middle English · inherited fromdespisen
4. English todaydespise

From Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin dēspicere (“to look down upon, despise, scorn”), from dē (“down”) + speciō (“to look at”). Displaced native Old English forsēon.