despite

despite · preposition, noun¹

1. Middle English · inherited fromdispit
2. Latin · derived fromdēspectum“looking down on”
3. Old French · derived fromdespit
4. Middle English · inherited fromdespit
5. English todaydespite

The noun is derived from Middle English despit, dispit, from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectum (“looking down on”), from dēspiciō (“to look down, despise”). The preposition is derived from Middle English dispit, itself derived from the phrase in dispit of (in despite of). Compare typologically Russian несмотря́ на (nesmotrjá na) (< смотре́ть (smotrétʹ)); невзира́я на (nevzirája na) (< взира́ть (vzirátʹ)), презре́в (prezrév) (< презре́ть (prezrétʹ) <~ зреть (zretʹ)) (compare despite—despise relation).

despite · verb²

1. Old French · derived fromdespitier
2. Middle English · inherited fromdespite
3. English todaydespite

From Middle English despite, dispite, dyspite, dyspyte, from Old French despitier.

Words from the same roots