Despite is a preposition meaning in spite of — despite the rain, we went. Dispute is a verb meaning to argue against or a noun meaning a disagreement — dispute the bill, a pay dispute. One is a connector; the other is an argument.
The core difference
- despite — a preposition: without being prevented by. Despite his age, despite everything, despite having no map.
- dispute — verb: to question or argue against. I dispute that figure. Noun: a disagreement, often formal. A border dispute, in dispute.
The tell
Despite is followed straight by a noun or an -ing form and never by of — despite the cost, not despite of the cost. Dispute takes an object or stands as a noun with an article: dispute the claim, a dispute. If you can swap in in spite of, the word is despite.
In use
- despite — Despite the delay, we arrived on time. She went in despite feeling unwell.
- dispute — They disputed the referee's call. The dispute went to arbitration.
Common slips
- despite of the weather → despite the weather
- they despite the bill → they dispute the bill
Despite never takes of; dispute always has an argument in it.
Where the words come from
Despite is from Old French despit, from Latin despectus, "a looking down on" — it once meant contempt, and in despite of meant "in defiance of", which wore down to today's despite. Dispute is from Latin disputare, "to discuss, to argue", from putare "to reckon", the root of compute and reputation.
Frequently asked questions
Is "despite of" correct?
No. Despite takes the noun directly: despite the rain. The version with of is "in spite of".
Can dispute be a noun?
Yes: a dispute is a disagreement, often a formal one — a pay dispute, a boundary dispute.
Did despite once mean contempt?
Yes. "In despite of" meant "in defiance of", and the noun despite meant scorn. Only the preposition survives in ordinary use.