despise

Where does the word "despise" come from? It comes from Latin despicere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Despise’s story begins in Latin: despicere meant “to look down on.” To look down on, from de- (down) and specere (to look). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as despire. Carried into French for feeling contempt toward something. It reached English by 1300s as despise. Settled as the English word for feeling intense dislike or contempt. Today, despise means to feel intense dislike or contempt for someone or something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient despicere "to look down on", to look down on, from de- (down) and specere (to look).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval despire "to feel contempt toward something", carried into French for feeling contempt toward something.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s despise "to feel intense dislike or contempt for someone or something", settled as the English word for feeling intense dislike or contempt.