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Added 8 October 2026

despise

/dɪˈspaɪz/ verb

In Latin: dēspiciō, contemnō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about despise at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To regard with contempt or scorn.
Katie despised video games because she saw them as a trashy, boring waste of time.
To disregard or ignore.

Origin

From Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin dēspicere (“to look down upon, despise, scorn”), from dē (“down”) + speciō (“to look at”). Displaced native Old English forsēon.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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