# despise

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈspaɪz/ · frequency rank #14,934

## Definitions
1. To regard with contempt or scorn.
2. To disregard or ignore.

## Etymology
From Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin dēspicere (“to look down upon, despise, scorn”), from dē (“down”) + speciō (“to look at”). Displaced native Old English forsēon.

## Easily confused with
- **devise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/despise-vs-devise)
- **despite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/despise-vs-despite)
- **dispose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/despise-vs-dispose)
- **despised** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/despise-vs-despised)
- **desire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desire-vs-despise)
- **demise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/demise-vs-despise)
- **Denise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/denise-vs-despise)
- **desist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desist-vs-despise)
- **depose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/depose-vs-despise)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ddespise`, `depsise`, `desipse`, `despies`, `despisse`, `desppise`, `despsie`, `desspise`, `dsepise`, `edspise`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/despise