verb
despise
dih-SPYZ
verb
1
To feel strong contempt or scorn for someone or something.
"She despised him for lying to her family."
"He despises dishonesty in any form."
How to Use Despise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hate and look down on someone or something at the same time.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "despite" (meaning "in spite of") — the words look similar but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
despise someone for
secretly despise
come to despise
Word Forms
despised past tense, despises singular
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Etymology
From Old French despire, from Latin despicere, "to look down upon" — from de- ("down") and specere ("to look").