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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

despite en · ADP · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /dɪˈspaɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

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).

Meanings

  1. In spite of, notwithstanding.
    • Despite personal schisms and differences in spiritual experience, there is a very coherent theology of Snape shared between the wives. To examine this manifestation of religious fandom, I will first discuss the canon scepticism and anti-Rowling sentiment that helps to contextualise the wider belief in Snape as a character who extends beyond book and film. 2014 March 3, Zoe Alderton, “‘Snapewives’ and ‘Snapeism’: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom”, in Religions, volume 5, number 1, MDPI, →DOI, pages 219–257:
    • Despite being a near-mirror image my of right, my left hand is terrible at these stuff.
    • So thou through windowes of thine age ſhalt ſee, Diſpight of wrinkles this thy goulden time. 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 3”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
    • Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage. 1995, Billy Corgan, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”, in Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, performed by Smashing Pumpkins:
    • The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 7, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
    • Yet doe thy worſt old Time diſpight thy wrong, My loue ſhall in my verſe euer liue young. 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 19”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
despight alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Antonyms

because of

Deriveds

despite oneself

Relateds

nevertheless · despise · even though

Synonyms

with · notwithstanding · maugre · irrespective of · despite · in spite of · for all · regardless of · without regard for · without considering

Translations (114)

fi huolimatta (in spite of) · sh у̏спркос (in spite of) · et hoolimata (in spite of) · be насу́перак (in spite of) · it malgrado (in spite of) · wa mågré (in spite of) · sl kljub (in spite of) · ko 에도 불구하고 (in spite of) · sv trots (in spite of) · cs vzdor (in spite of) · ru напереко́р (in spite of) · cmn 不管 (in spite of) · ia malgrado (in spite of) · pl mimo (in spite of) · hi के बावजूद (in spite of) · ro cu toate că (in spite of) · ar رَغْمَ (in spite of) · eo malgraŭ (in spite of) · az baxmayaraq (in spite of) · tr karşın (in spite of) · fa علیرغم (in spite of) · ca encara que (in spite of) · ms walaupun (in spite of) · eo spite al (in spite of) · rsk и попри (in spite of) · ka მიუხედავად (in spite of) · fr malgré (in spite of) · cs navzdory (in spite of) · br daoust da (in spite of) · sk napriek (in spite of) · sk proti (in spite of) · gl malia (in spite of) · ru несмотря́ на (in spite of) · hu annak ellenére, hogy… (in spite of) · ru невзира́я на (in spite of) · cmn 即使 (in spite of) · uk всу́переч (in spite of) · gd a dh'aindeoin (in spite of) · it sebbene (in spite of) · da trods (in spite of) · nl ondanks (in spite of) · pt apesar de (in spite of) · hy չնայած (in spite of) · cmn 不顧 /不顾 (in spite of) · tr rağmen (in spite of) · cmn 儘管 /尽管 (in spite of) · eu gora-behera ere (in spite of) · vi bất chấp (in spite of) · ga d'ainneoin (in spite of) · it nonostante (in spite of) · ur باوُجُود (in spite of) · ja ...にも関わらず (in spite of) · eo spite (in spite of) · uk незважа́ючи на (in spite of) · la quamquam (in spite of) · de trotz (in spite of) · tg бо вуҷуди (in spite of) · ru вопреки́ (in spite of) · vi mặc dù (in spite of) · sh unátoč (in spite of) · el παρά (in spite of) · az rəğmən (in spite of) · he לַמְרוֹת (in spite of) · be нягле́дзячы на (in spite of) · pl pomimo (in spite of) · ga in ainneoin (in spite of) · pl wbrew (in spite of) · fr en dépit de (in spite of) · es pese a (in spite of) · mk и покрај (in spite of) · pt não obstante (in spite of) · pt a despeito de (in spite of) · ba ҡарамаҫтан (in spite of) · sq megjithëse (in spite of) · ary واخا (in spite of) · nb til tross for (in spite of) · vi không kể (in spite of) · ro în ciuda (in spite of) · lv par spīti (in spite of) · fa بهرغم (in spite of) · ca malgrat (in spite of) · sh у̏пркос (in spite of) · is þrátt fyrir (in spite of) · sh ȕsprkos (in spite of) · ga ainneoin (in spite of) · bg въ́преки (in spite of) · fa باوجود (in spite of) · cs přes (in spite of) · hu dacára, hogy… (in spite of) · sh уна́точ (in spite of) · ca tot i (in spite of) · lt nepaisant (in spite of) · uk по́при (in spite of) · rsk без огляду (in spite of) · cmn 任憑 /任凭 (in spite of) · az ilə belə (in spite of) · es maguer (in spite of) · et vaatamata (in spite of) · sk navzdor (in spite of) · br en desped da (in spite of) · ur کے باوُجُود (in spite of) · hu ellenére (in spite of) · ar بِالرَّغْمِ مِن (in spite of) · ca tot i que (in spite of) · eo spite, ke (in spite of) · sh ȕprkos (in spite of) · cu въпрѣкꙑ (in spite of) · sw licha ya (in spite of) · ar مَعَ (in spite of) · hu dacára (in spite of) · da på trods af (in spite of) · pl na przekór (in spite of) · ary وخا (in spite of) · grc κατά (in spite of)

despite en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /dɪˈspaɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

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).

Meanings

  1. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Disdain, contemptuous feelings, hatred.
    • A fals double tunge is more fiers and fell Then Cerberus the cur couching in the kenel of hel; Wherof hereafter, I thinke for to write, c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
    • all thy despite against the land of Israel 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 25:6:
    • Thou waſt euer an obſtinate heretique in the deſpight of Beautie. 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
  2. (archaic, countable, uncountable) Action or behaviour displaying such feelings; an outrage, insult.
    • he aſked kynge Arthur yf he wold gyue hym leue to ryde after Balen and to reuenge the deſpyte that he had done Doo your beſt ſaid Arthur I am right wroth ſaid Balen I wold he were quyte of the deſpyte that he hath done to me and to my Courte 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “iiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book II:
    • Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall hee be thought worthy, who hath troden vnder foote þe Sonne of God, and hath counted the blood of the couenant wherwith he was sanctified, an vnholy thing, and hath done despite vnto the spirit of grace? 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Hebrews 10:29:
    • a deſpite done againſt the Moſt High 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
  3. (countable, uncountable) Evil feeling; malice, spite, annoyance.
    • How often am I obliged to speak mal à propos, because my features are not sufficiently charming in a state of repose!—how often is my ingenuity racked to find a word, when a look would have been far better! I am compelled to be amusing, in my own despite. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter I, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 3:
    • And for these Corcyraeans—neither receive them into alliance in our despite, nor be their abettors in crime. 1874, Thucydides, translated by Richard Crawley, The Peloponnesian War:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
despites Number=Plur lexicographic
despight alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Deriveds

despiteful

despite en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /dɪˈspaɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. (obsolete) To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously.
    • to despite his opposites 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=1 to 5):

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
despiting Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
despight alternative, obsolete lexicographic
despites Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
despited Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
despited Tense=Past lexicographic