English
despite
Despite comes from Latin dēspectum ‘looking down on’, from speciō ‘to observe, watch, look at’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘to observe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspiciō‘to look down’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspectum‘looking down on’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400despit
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500despit
- Englishearliest quotation 1485despite
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘to observe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspiciō‘to look down’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspectum‘looking down on’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400despit
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500despit
- Englishearliest quotation 1485despite
Earliest quotation: 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, iiij: “he aſked kynge Arthur yf he wold gyue hym…”
The story
The preposition is derived from Middle English dispit, itself derived from the phrase in dispit of (in despite of).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 114 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, macroscopic, endoscopic, spectroscopic, 112 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 24 more
through Latin speciō ‘to observe, watch, look at’
special, specific, respect, species, perspective, aspect, inspector, spectrum, expectation, inspection, spectacular, specify, specimen, spice, spectacle, inspect, retrospective, spectator, retrospect, conspicuous, expectant, specter, circumspect, specious, speculator, 27 more
Today it means
prep In spite of, notwithstanding.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / despite