Dictionary

1despite

noun de·spite \di-ˈspīt\

Definition of DESPITE

1
:  the feeling or attitude of despising someone or something :  contempt
2
:  malice, spite
3
a :  an act showing contempt or defiance
b :  detriment, disadvantage <I know of no government which stands to its obligations, even in its own despite, more solidly — Sir Winston Churchill>
in despite of
:  in spite of
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Origin of DESPITE

Middle English, from Anglo-French despit, from Latin despectus, from despicere (see despise)
First Known Use: 13th century

Rhymes with DESPITE

affright, air right, airtight, albite, Albright, alight, all right, all-night, a mite, aright, backbite, backlight, bauxite, bedight, birthright, black light, bleed white, bobwhite, bombsight, box kite, calcite, campsite, catfight, cockfight, contrite, cordite, Cushite, daylight, deadlight, delight, dendrite, dogfight, downlight, downright, droplight, dust mite, earthlight, excite, eyebright, eyesight, fanlight, felsite, ferrite, finite, fire blight, firefight, firelight, first night, fistfight, flashlight, fleabite, floodlight, foresight, forthright, fortnight, freewrite, frostbite, Gadite, gall mite, gaslight, gastight, ghostwrite, goethite, graphite, green light, gummite, gunfight, half-light, halite, Hamite, handwrite, headlight, highlight, hindsight, Hittite, homesite, hoplite, Hussite, ignite, illite, infight, in-flight, incite, indict, indite, insight, in sight, invite, jacklight, jadeite, key light, lamplight, late blight, leucite, Levite, lighttight, lignite, limelight, lintwhite, lowlight, Lucite, Luddite, lyddite, marmite, Melchite, Memphite, midnight, millwright, moonlight, New Right, night-light, nitrite, off-site, off-white, on sight, on-site, outright, outsight, partite, peep sight, penlight, perlite, playwright, polite, preflight, prizefight, pyrite, quartzite, ratite, recite, red light, red-light, requite, respite, rewrite, rushlight, rust mite, safelight, samite, searchlight, Semite, Servite, Shemite, Shiite, shipwright, sidelight, sit tight, skintight, skylight, skywrite, slant height, smectite, snakebite, snow-white, sound bite, spaceflight, spotlight, stage fright, starlight, sternite, sticktight, stoplight, streetlight, stylite, sulfite, sunlight, Sunnite, taillight, termite, thermite, tonight, torchlight, trothplight, Twelfth Night, twilight, twi-night, typewrite, unite, unsight, upright, uptight, wainwright, watch night, wax light, Web site, weeknight, wheelwright, white flight, white knight, x-height, zinc white

2despite

verb de·spite \di-ˈspīt\
de·spit·edde·spit·ing

Definition of DESPITE

transitive verb
1
archaic :  to treat with contempt
2
obsolete :  to provoke to anger :  vex

Origin of DESPITE

(see 1despite)
First Known Use: 14th century

3despite

preposition de·spite \di-ˈspīt\

: without being prevented by (something)

Full Definition of DESPITE

:  in spite of <played despite an injury>

Examples of DESPITE

  1. Many children are shy around strangers, of course, but Jacob's reticence is different. He suffers from a rare childhood disorder … that renders him so anxious in the company of others that he cannot, despite all his efforts, utter a single word. —Kathy Ehrich Dowd et al., People, 18 Feb. 2008

Origin of DESPITE

(see 1despite)
First Known Use: 15th century

Related to DESPITE

Synonyms
notwithstanding, regardless of, with, in defiance of, in despite of, in spite of
DESPITE Defined for Kids

despite

preposition de·spite \di-ˈspīt\

Definition of DESPITE for Kids

:  in spite of <The quarterback played despite an injury.>

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