maugre (prep., adv.)

"in spite of, notwithstanding," mid-14c., from Old French maugre, maulgrec "in spite of" (Modern French malgré), elliptical use of the noun maugre "ill-will, spite," from Latin malus "bad, ill, unpleasant" (see mal-) + gratum "a pleasant thing," noun use of neuter of gratus "pleasing, welcome, agreeable" (from suffixed form of PIE root *gwere- (2) "to favor"). The noun maugre "ill-will" also was in Middle English (c. 1300). For sense, compare in spite of.