despicable

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈdɛspɪkəbəl/, /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈdɛspɪkəbəl, dɪˈspɪkə-/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(despi kə bəl, di spikə-)



WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
des•pi•ca•ble /ˈdɛspɪkəbəl, dɪˈspɪkə-/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. deserving to be despised:a despicable lie.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
des•pi•ca•ble  (despi kə bəl, di spikə-),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. deserving to be despised;
    contemptible:a mean, despicable man.
  • Late Latin dēspicābilis, equivalent. to Latin dēspic(ārī) to despise or dēspic(ere) to look down (dē- de- + -spic- look, combining form of specere) + -ābilis -able
  • 1545–55
des′pi•ca•bili•ty, despi•ca•ble•ness, n. 
despi•ca•bly, adv. 
    vile, mean, detestable.
    admirable.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
despicable / dɪˈspɪkəbəl ˈdɛspɪk-/
  1. worthy of being despised; contemptible; mean
Etymology: 16th Century: from Late Latin dēspicābilis, from dēspicārī to disdain; compare despisedeˈspicably
'despicable' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: that was a despicable thing to [do, say], the most despicable [thing, aspect] is, is despicable behavior, more...

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