English
spite
Spite 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, to look, to observe’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe, see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘to observe, watch, look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspiciō‘to look down, despise’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspectum‘looking down on’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400despit
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spit
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1597spite
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see, to look, to observe’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe, see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘to observe, watch, look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspiciō‘to look down, despise’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēspectum‘looking down on’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400despit
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spit
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1597spite
Earliest quotation: c. 1597, William Shakespeare, The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]: “This is the deadly spite that angers.”
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, especial, inconspicuous, specular, 24 more
through Latin speciō ‘to observe, watch, look at’
special, specific, respect, species, perspective, aspect, inspector, spectrum, expectation, inspection, spectacular, specify, specimen, spectacle, inspect, spice, retrospective, spectator, retrospect, conspicuous, expectant, specter, circumspect, speculator, specious, 27 more
through Latin dēspiciō ‘to look down, despise’
Today it means
noun Ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the desire to unjustifiably irritate, annoy, or thwart; a want to disturb or put out another; mild malice.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / spite