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- pronunciation:
- de
spih
k
bl
[or]
dih
spI
k
bl
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition: |
worthy of hatred or contempt; worthless; low.
The cruelty with which he treated his children was despicable.They were accused of despicable crimes.He's a despicable liar!- synonyms:
- abominable, contemptible, disgraceful, execrable, odious, rile, shameful, villainous, worthless
- antonyms:
- admirable, laudable, praiseworthy
- similar words:
- deplorable, detestable, disgusting, grievous, grubby, hateful, ignoble, ignominious, loathsome, lousy, low, miserable, opprobrious, rank, reprehensible, shabby, stinking, vile
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| related words: |
abject, abominable, base, damn, dastardly, heinous, nefarious, squalid, ugly, vicious, wretched |
adverb + (adj.)despicable
equally, most, particularly, pretty
(adj.)despicable
+ noun
act, action, attack, behavior, being, character, clown, conduct, crime, deed, evil, manner, regime, tactic, thing, violence
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| derivations: |
despicably (adv.), despicableness (n.) |
The word despicable
contains the following parts:
de-
Latin
prefix
that means from; away from; down from; reverse, negate.
  Example words:
biodegradable, debase, debate, decay, deceive, deception, decide, decision, decline, decode, decriminalize, deduct, defer, defoliant, deform, defy, degrade, dehydrate, deject, delete, demagnetize, demerit, demoralize, demote, depend, deplete, deport, depose, deprive, descend, describe, description, desegregate, design, designate, despicable, despise, detach, detect, detract, devolve, indefeasible, independence, indescribable, indestructible
- synonyms:
- dis-, un-
spect, spec, spic, spectro
Latin
root
that means to see, look, watch
Example words:
aspect, auspicious, circumspect, conspectus, conspicuous, despicable, despise, expectation, inauspicious, inconspicuous, inspect, inspector, introspect, introspective, irrespective, perspective, perspicacious, perspicuous, prospect, prospective, prospectus, respect, respective, retrospect, retrospective, special, species, specific, specify, specimen, specious, spectacle, spectacular, spectator, specter, spectrograph, spectrometer, spectroscope, spectrum, speculate, speculum, suspect, suspicious
-able, -ible, -ble
Latin
adjective-forming suffix
that means capable of being, doing, or undergoing
More about this word part:
The suffix -able
, and its variants, is attached to Latin verb roots or English transitive verbs to form adjectives. (In a small set of cases, -able
is attached to a noun, e.g. knowledgeable and marriageable.) For spelling purposes, it is useful to know that -able
is more likely to be added to a whole English word (comparable
, adorable
), while -ible
is more likely to follow a bound root (visible
, legible
). However,there are still many words which combine a root with -able
(capable
, inevitable
). The suffix -ity can be added to any adjective ending in -able
, -ible
, -ble
to produce a corresponding noun ending in -ability, -ibility, -bility (possible
+ -ity > possibility; irrevocable
+ -ity > irrevocability.)
Example words:
acceptable, accessible, admissible, adorable, amiable, amicable, audible, avoidable, believable, bearable, biodegradable, capable, calculable, cognizable, comparable, compatible, comprehensible, conformable, conversable, convertible, corrigible, credible, creditable, curable, dependable, despicable, disagreeable, disposable, divisible, eligible, explicable, flammable, flexible, illegible, illimitable, imaginable, immiscible, immovable, immutable, impalpable, impassable, impeccable, impermeable, impermissible, imperturbable, implacable, implausible, imponderable, impossible, impregnable, inalienable, inaudible, incapable, incalculable, incommunicable, incomprehensible, inconceivable, detectable, conceivable, incorrigible, incredible, incurable, indefeasible, indelible, indescribable, indestructible, indivisible, indomitable, ineligible, ineluctable, ineradicable, inescapable, inevitable, inexorable, inexpiable, inexplicable, infallible, inhospitable, inimitable, inscrutable, inseparable, insuperable, intangible, interminable, intractable, invaluable, invariable, invincible, invisible, irrefragable, irrefutable, irremissible, irreparable, irreversible, irrevocable, legible, likable, lovable, manageable, measurable, movable, navigable, notable, opposable, palpable, perishable, permissible, placable, portable, possible, potable, predictable, preferable, prescriptible, recognizable, remissible, reprehensible, reversible, risible, semipermeable, sensible, superable, susceptible, tangible, tenable, tolerable, tractable, transmissible, unsupportable, usable, viable, visible, washable, affordable, allowable, reliable, remarkable, approachable, disputable, drinkable, durable, eatable, renewable, sustainable, unshakable
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