Advertisement
Entries linking to spiteful
spite (n.)c. 1300, shortened form of despit "malice" (see despite). Corresponding to Middle Dutch spijt, Middle Low German spyt, Middle Swedish spit. In 17c. commonly spelled spight. Phrase in spite of is recorded from c. 1400, literally "in defiance or contempt of," hence "notwithstanding." Spite-fence "barrier erected to cause annoyance" is from 1889.
-ful word-forming element attached to nouns (and in modern English to verb stems) and meaning "full of, having, characterized by," also "amount or volume contained" (handful, bellyful); from Old English -full, -ful, which is full (adj.) become a suffix by being coalesced with a preceding noun, but originally a separate word. Cognate with German -voll, Old Norse -fullr, Danish -fuld. Most English -ful adjectives at one time or another had both passive ("full of x") and active ("causing x; full of occasion for x") senses.
It is rare in Old English and Middle English, where full was much more commonly attached at the head of a word (for example Old English fulbrecan "to violate," fulslean "to kill outright," fulripod "mature;" Middle English had ful-comen "attain (a state), realize (a truth)," ful-lasting "durability," ful-thriven "complete, perfect," etc.).
It is rare in Old English and Middle English, where full was much more commonly attached at the head of a word (for example Old English fulbrecan "to violate," fulslean "to kill outright," fulripod "mature;" Middle English had ful-comen "attain (a state), realize (a truth)," ful-lasting "durability," ful-thriven "complete, perfect," etc.).
Share spiteful
‘cite’
Page URL:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/spiteful
HTML Link:
<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/spiteful">Etymology of spiteful by etymonline</a>
APA style:
Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of spiteful. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/spiteful
Chicago style:
Harper Douglas, “Etymology of spiteful,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/spiteful.
MLA style:
Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of spiteful.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/spiteful. Accessed $(datetimeMla).
IEEE style:
D. Harper. “Etymology of spiteful.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/spiteful (accessed $(datetime)).
Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of spiteful
spiteful (adj.)
showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite;
a truly spiteful child
Dictionary entries near spiteful
spissitude
spit
Spitalfields
spitball
spite
spiteful
spitfire
spittle
spittoon
Spitz
spiv
