Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: despit 'spite', from Latin despectus, from despicere; DESPISE

despite

 preposition
     
de‧spite S2 W1
1 used to say that something happens or is true even though something else might have prevented it [= in spite of]:
Despite all our efforts to save the school, the authorities decided to close it.
despite the fact (that)
She went to Spain despite the fact that her doctor had told her to rest.
2

despite yourself

if you do something despite yourself, you do it although you did not intend to:
Liz realized that, despite herself, she cared about Edward.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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