Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “despising” come from?

Despising comes from Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, meaning to treat with contempt or scorn.

despising (English): present participle of despise; An act of...

Definitions

  1. present participle of despise; An act of...

Ancestry of “despising”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdespiseTo regard with contempt or scorn; To disregard or...
2Middle Englishdespisen—
3Old Frenchdespis-—
4Latindēspicere—
5Latindē-—
6Latindē—
7Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
8Latinposteablative singular of postis
9Proto-Italicposti—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “despising”

  • despisingly
  • despisingness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →