How do you pronounce despicable?

The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/.

Where does despicable come from?

It is traced to Latin. First known use: First attested in the 1550s.

despicable

/dɪˈspɪkəbəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.46 in modern English

Syllables: de-spi-ca-ble
IPA: /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/

Scrabble Score

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Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean.

noun

A wretched or wicked person.

Example Sentences

"The physical penis is consumed by despicable fish, animals of the turgid depths, but the higher phallus, the image of resurrection through the goddess, is fashioned as a sacred icon."
"Robbers assemble other robbers for the purpose of robbery; but Christians gather thieves, bandits, and other despicables for the purpose of spiritual transformation."

Etymology

From Late Latin dēspicābilis, from Latin dēspicor, a variant of dēspiciō (“to despise”), from de (“down”) + speciō (“to look at, behold”). First attested in the 1550s. Equivalent to despise + -able.

Origin

Source language: Latin
First known use: First attested in the 1550s

Word Breakdown

Root: *speḱ-, dēspicābilis, dēspicor
Suffix: despise

Inflected Forms

more despicable (comparative) most despicable (superlative) despicables (plural)

Derived Forms

despicableness despicably

Frequently Paired Words

unclean evil immoral

Synonyms

vile evil mean contemptible obscene wicked abject filthy base beggarly blameworthy carrion

Antonyms

honorable esteemed noble respectable valued disdainful scornful

Rhymes With

explicable extricable applicable clickable inextricable lickable kickable unpickable unclickable pickable stickable flickable