What does despite mean?
Despite is one of English's most useful connectors, expressing that something occurs or remains true in the face of an obstacle, difficulty, or contrary circumstance. As a preposition, it links an outcome to the thing working against it: 'Despite the storm, the ship reached port.' Its force lies in emphasising persistence or contrast — whatever follows 'despite' is presented as something that might have prevented or changed the result but did not. Grammatically, it takes a noun, pronoun, or gerund rather than a full clause, so writers turn to 'although' or 'even though' when they need a complete sentence. The word descends from Old French despit, ultimately from Latin despectus, meaning contempt or scorn, which makes its history vivid: to act despite something is, etymologically speaking, to hold the obstacle in disdain. Common collocations include 'despite everything', 'despite all odds', and 'despite the fact that'.
Without being affected by; notwithstanding; in spite of.
"Despite repeated warnings, he continued to ignore the safety protocols."
Followed directly by a noun, pronoun, or gerund — never by 'of'.
(Archaic) Contempt, scorn, or defiant malice toward someone or something.
"She spoke of her rivals in open despite."
Now largely obsolete except in the fixed phrase 'in despite of', meaning 'in defiance of'.
Despite comes from the same root as 'despite' and 'spite' — literally meaning 'in contempt of' — so when you do something despite an obstacle, you're defying it with a hint of scorn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of despite
Despite entered Middle English in the thirteenth century from Old French despit, itself derived from Latin dēspectus, a noun formed from dēspicere, 'to look down on'. Its original sense was 'contempt' or 'scorn', surviving today only in the archaic legal-ish phrase 'in despite of'. Over time the preposition developed the modern concessive meaning 'without being affected by'. It shares its Latin root with 'despise', 'spite', and 'despicable', making them true etymological cousins.
How despite is actually used
Standard and neutral in register, suitable for both formal and informal writing. A frequent error is adding 'of' after it ('despite of'); this is nonstandard. It is followed by a noun phrase or gerund ('despite the delay', 'despite feeling ill') rather than a full clause — for a clause, use 'although' or 'even though'.
Easily confused with despite
'Despite' and 'in spite of' mean the same thing, but 'despite' must not be followed by 'of' — the common error 'despite of' is incorrect.