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Despite - 6 dictionary results

de⋅spite

  [di-spahyt] preposition, noun, verb, -spit⋅ed, -spit⋅ing.
Use Despite in a Sentence
–preposition
1. in spite of; notwithstanding.
–noun
2. contemptuous treatment; insult.
3. malice, hatred, or spite.
–verb (used with object)
4. Obsolete. to anger or annoy (someone) out of spite.
—Idiom
5. in despite of, in spite of; notwithstanding: He was tolerant in despite of his background and education.
Origin:
1250–1300; orig. in despite of; ME despit < OF < L dēspectus view from a height, scorn, equiv. to dēspec-, var. s. of dēspicere (see despicable ) + -tus suffix of v. action

Synonyms:
1. See notwithstanding.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Despite
de·spite   (dĭ-spīt')   
prep.  In spite of; notwithstanding: won the game despite overwhelming odds.
n.  
  1. Contemptuous defiance or disregard.
  2. Spite; malice: "He died soon after . . . of pure despite and vexation" (Sir Walter Scott).

[Short for in despite of, from Middle English despit, spite, from Old French, from Latin dēspectus, from past participle of dēspicere, to despise; see despise.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Despite

De*spite"\, n. [OF. despit, F. d['e]pit, fr. L. despectus contempt, fr. despicere. See Despise, and cf. Spite, Despect.]

1. Malice; malignity; spite; malicious anger; contemptuous hate.

With all thy despite against the land of Israel. --Ezek. xxv. 6.

2. An act of malice, hatred, or defiance; contemptuous defiance; a deed of contempt.

A despite done against the Most High. --Milton.

In despite, in defiance of another's power or inclination.

In despite of, in defiance of; in spite of. See under Spite. "Seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary." --W. Irving.

In your despite, in defiance or contempt of you; in spite of you. [Obs.]

Despite

De*spite"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despited; p. pr. & vb. n. Despiting.] [OF. despitier, fr. L. despectare, intens. of despicere. See Despite, n.] To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously. [Obs.] --Sir W. Raleigh.

Despite

De*spite"\, prep. In spite of; against, or in defiance of; notwithstanding; as, despite his prejudices.

Syn: See Notwithstanding.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Despite
Spanish: a pesar de,
German: trotz,
Japanese: ～にもかかわらず
More Translations »

despite 
1297, from O.Fr. despit, from L. despectus "a looking down on," from despicere (see despise). The preposition (1593) is short for in despite of (1292), a loan-translation of Fr. en despit de "in contempt of." Almost became despight during 16c. spelling reform.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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