spite

The story

1. Latin · derived fromdēspiciō“to look down, despise”
2. Latin · derived fromdēspectum“looking down on”
3. Old French · derived fromdespit
4. Middle English · inherited fromspit
5. English todayspite

From Middle English spit, a shortening of despit (whence despite), from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectum (“looking down on”), from Latin dēspiciō (“to look down, despise”). Compare also North Frisian spīt, spīd (“regret”), Saterland Frisian Spiet (“regret, remorse”), West Frisian spyt (“regret”), Dutch spijt (“regret, remorse”), German Low German Spiet (“anger, regret, remorse”), German Spiet (“annoyance, vexation”), Swedish spit (“insult, outrage, annoyance”), Norwegian spit (“insult, outrage, annoyance”).

Words from the same roots