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