despite

[dɪˈspaɪt]

/[dɪˈspaɪt]/ prep

The verdict

“despite” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a preposition - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - trotz

Key facts for despite
PropertyValue
Headworddespite
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPreposition
IPA[dɪˈspaɪt]
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “despite” sits in German frequency

despite falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for despite is 7 letters long, classified as a preposition, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [dɪˈspaɪt]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "trotz".

No misspelling variants are generated for despite in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable German rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is despite, spelled D-E-S-P-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    trotz

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "despite"?
"despite" is spelled D-E-S-P-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is [dɪˈspaɪt].
What does "despite" mean?
As a preposition, "despite" means: trotz
How do you pronounce "despite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "despite" is [dɪˈspaɪt]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "despite" come from?
"despite" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “despite”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is D-E-S-P-I-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [dɪˈspaɪt] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list