despite
n.n. used to show that something is happening even though there is something else that might stop it. You use it to connect two ideas that seem to work against each other.
n. indicates that an action or situation occurs regardless of a specified obstacle or opposing factor. Functions as a head of a prepositional phrase and requires a noun or gerund as its object.
We went for a walk despite the rain.
Despite the heavy traffic, the delivery arrived exactly on time for the event.
The company reported record profits this quarter despite a significant increase in raw material costs and a global shortage of skilled labor.
The noun is derived from Middle English despit, dispit, from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectum (“looking down on”), from dēspiciō (“to look down, despise”). The preposition is derived from Middle English dispit, itself derived from the phrase in dispit of (in despite of). Compare typologically Russian несмотря́ на (nesmotrjá na) (< смотре́ть (smotrétʹ)); невзира́я на (nevzirája na) (< взира́ть (vzirátʹ)), презре́в (prezrév) (< презре́ть (prezrétʹ) <~ зреть (zretʹ)) (compare despite—despise relation).
From Middle English despite, dispite, dyspite, dyspyte, from Old French despitier.
Takes a noun phrase or a gerund (-ing form) as an object; cannot be followed directly by a 'that' clause.
despite of the raindespite the rainLearners often confuse 'despite' with 'in spite of' by adding an unnecessary 'of'.