spite
Ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the desire to unjustifiably irritate, annoy, or thwart; a want to disturb or put out another; mild malice.
Noun 1 meaning
Ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the desire to unjustifiably irritate, annoy, or thwart; a want to disturb or put out another; mild malice.
“He was so filled with spite for his ex-wife, his brother was afraid of what he might do.”
Verb 2 meanings
To treat maliciously; to try to hurt or thwart.
“She soon married again, to spite her ex-husband.”
To fill with spite; to offend; to vex.
Preposition 1 meaning
Notwithstanding; despite.
Etymology
From Middle English spit, a shortening of despit (whence despite), from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectum (“looking down on”), from Latin dēspiciō (“to look down, despise”).
Similar and opposite words
SPITE at a glance
SPITE has 5 letters and scores 7 points in Scrabble (S 1 + P 3 + I 1 + T 1 + E 1) and 8 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #6,635 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with spite
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