What part of speech is “despite”
Noun
Definition:
despite is a noun meaning 'contemptuous disregard.' It is often used to refer to someone's opinion about something that doesn't follow or agree with the opinion of another person.
Examples:
1. His brother held despite for their mother's decision to move away.
2. The rival gangs showed despite for the peace treaty.
3. Jennifer couldn't hide her despite for her boss's new policy.
Tip:
Despite cannot be used in the possessive, and only when used as a noun. It is also often preceded by 'great' or 'little'.
Preposition
Definition:
despite is a preposition meaning 'in the face of, in spite of; not being lessened or diminished by; notwithstanding.' It is often used to indicate that in spite of a certain circumstance, something still has an effect.
Examples:
1. Despite his age, he still ran the marathon.
2. Despite his disability, he was able to do the job just as well as everyone else.
3. Despite the rain, the outdoor cafe was full of customers.
Tip:
Despite should not be used as a conjunction when introducing an independent clause due to the difference in word usage between preposition and conjunction.