Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “despitefulness” come from?

despitefulness (English) comes from English despiteful, from English despite, from Middle English despit, from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectus, from Latin dēspiciō, from Latin dē-, from Latin dē — afterwards, post; by, at.

despitefulness (English): The state or quality of being despiteful

Definitions

  1. The state or quality of being despiteful

Ancestry of “despitefulness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdespitefulFull of despite; expressing malice or...
2EnglishdespiteIn spite of, notwithstanding, regardless of;...
3Middle Englishdespit—
4Old Frenchdespit—
5Latindēspectus—
6Latindēspiciō—
7Latindē-—
8Latindē—
9Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
10Latinposteablative singular of postis
11Proto-Italicposti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →