Word Root: dis- (Prefix) (2023)

apart, not

Quick Summary

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. A large number of English vocabulary words contain the prefix dis-, which means “apart.” Examples using this prefix include distant, disease, and disqualify. An easy way to remember that the prefix dis- means “apart” is through the word disorder, for items which are disordered are “apart” from being “ordered,” hence are not ordered or are in quite the mess.

Dis- Keeping Things Distant

Related Rootcasts

• The Fascinating Parts of Words Morphology is the study of how words are put together by using morphemes, which include prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Parsing the different morphemes in a word reveals meaning and part of speech. For instance, the word “invention” includes the prefix in- + the root vent + the suffix -ion, from which is formed the noun “invention.”
• Etymology: Word Origins Etymology is that part of linguistics that studies word origins. English vocabulary words are formed from many different sources, especially Latin and Greek. By determining the origins of the morphemes in English words, one is better able to remember and determine the dictionary definitions of words.

Usage

• dissident

  A dissident is someone who disagrees publicly with a government, especially in a country where this is not allowed.

• disburse

  To disburse is to pay out money, usually from a large fund that has been collected for a specific purpose.

• disquiet

  When someone feels disquiet about a situation, they feel very worried or nervous.

• disseminate

  To disseminate something, such as knowledge or information, is to distribute it so that it reaches a lot of people.

• discursive

  A piece of writing is discursive if it includes a lot of information that is not relevant to the main subject.

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• disingenuous

  Someone who is disingenuous is not straightforward or is dishonest in what they say or do.

• disparate

  Things that are disparate are clearly different from each other and belong to different groups or classes.

• discern

  When you discern something, you notice, detect, or understand it, often after thinking about it carefully or studying it for some time.

• indiscreet

  Someone who is indiscreet shows lack of judgment, especially because they say or do things in public that should only be said or done privately—if at all.

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• disconcert

  If something disconcerts you, it makes you feel anxious, worried, or confused.

• dissonance

  Dissonance is an unpleasant situation of opposition in which ideas or actions are not in agreement or harmony; dissonance also refers to a harsh combination of sounds.

• discordant

  A situation or thing that is discordant does not fit in with other things; therefore, it is disagreeable, strange, or unpleasant.

• disaffected

  A disaffected member of a group or organization is not satisfied with it; consequently, they feel little loyalty towards it.

• disinter

  When someone disinters a dead body, they dig it up; likewise, something disinterred is exposed or revealed to the public after having been hidden for some time.

• discomfit

  If something discomfits you, it makes you feel embarrassed, confused, uncomfortable, or frustrated.

• disparage

  If you disparage someone or something, you say unpleasant words that show you have no respect for that person or thing.

• dissemble

  When people dissemble, they hide their real thoughts, feelings, or intentions.

• disinterested

  Someone does something in a disinterested way when they have no personal involvement or attachment to the action.

• dissension

  Dissension is a disagreement or difference of opinion among a group of people that can cause conflict.

• disabuse

  If you disabuse someone of an idea or notion, you persuade them that the idea is in fact untrue.

• demise

  A demise can be the death of someone or the slow end of something.

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• disarray

  When you are in a state of disarray, you are disorganized, disordered, and in a state of confusion.

• discombobulated

  When you are discombobulated, you are confused and upset because you have been thrown into a situation that you temporarily cannot handle.

• disconsolate

  If you are disconsolate, you are very unhappy or so sad that nothing will make you feel better.

• discrepancy

  When there is a discrepancy between two sets of data, there is a difference or disagreement among them—despite the fact that they should be the same.

• discrete

  Discrete objects are completely unconnected to one another, so each one is separate and individual.

• disdain

  You show disdain towards another person when you despise what they do, or you regard them as unworthy of your notice and attention.

• disentangle

  When you disentangle a knot or a problem, you untie the knot or get yourself out of the problem.

• disillusion

  When you disillusion someone, you show that a belief they hold dear is untrue—thereby disheartening and disappointing them.

• disincentive

  A disincentive to do something does not encourage you to do that thing; rather, it restrains and hinders you from doing it.

• dismantle

  When you dismantle something, you take it apart or destroy it piece by piece.

• disparity

  When there is a disparity between two things, they are not of equal status; therefore, they are different or unlike in some way.

• dispel

  When you dispel a thought from your mind, you cause it to go away or disappear; when you do the same to a crowd, you cause it to scatter into different directions.

• disposition

  Your disposition is your personality, the way you tend to react to the various events in your life, and the mood that you generally have.

• dissuade

  When you dissuade someone, you try to discourage or prevent them from doing something.

• distortion

  When something is subjected to distortion, it is twisted out of shape in some way.

• indispensable

  An indispensable item is absolutely necessary or essential—it cannot be done without.

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• predispose

  If someone is predisposed to something, they are made favorable or inclined to it in advance, or they are made susceptible to something, such as a disease.

• discriminate

  The ability to discriminate between things allows you to notice or be aware of differences.

• disposed

  When you are disposed towards a particular action or thing, you are inclined or partial towards it.

• disclaimer

  A disclaimer is a legal statement that declares a refusal to accept responsibility in case something bad happens when a product is used.

• disrupt

  When you disrupt something that is happening, you interrupt, upset, or disturb it in some way.

• dispute

  A dispute is a disagreement or argument about something.

• disintegrate

  When something disintegrates, it crumbles, falls apart, or breaks down into separate pieces.

• distinctive

  Distinctive qualities set people or things apart from everyone or everything else—they are what make people or things different or unique.

• distraught

  If you are distraught about a situation, you are very upset or worried about it.

• disport

  When someone disports, they entertain or divert themselves for the sake of amusement.

• disorder

  If a place is in disorder, it is not neat and clean; nothing is how it should be.

• disease

  A disease is a sickness or illness, such as diabetes or cancer.

• discussion

  A discussion is a talk that you have with one or more people.

• discover

  When you discover something, such as a new idea or thing, you learn about it or find it for the first time.

• displace

  When one thing displaces another, it takes its position or place and forces that other thing to leave.

• dismiss

  When you dismiss someone, you send them away.

  (Video) 30+ Super Easy Prefixes That’ll Help You Learn Hundreds of New Words in English

• distant

  Something distant is far off or far away from something else.

• distract

  You distract someone by drawing that person’s notice away from one thing to something else.

• distribute

  When you distribute something, you hand it out or spread it around to a number of people.

• dissimilar

  When one thing is dissimilar to another thing, it is not like it or is not the same as it.

• defer

  If you defer the occurrence of something, you delay it to a later point in time.

• disband

  cause to break up or cease to function

• disengaged

  Not engaged; free from engagement; at leisure; free from occupation or care; vacant.

• disheartened

  made less hopeful or enthusiastic

• dislocate

  move out of position

• dissociate

  To separate from fellowship or union; to disunite; to disjoin; as, to dissociate the particles of a concrete substance.

• dissolve

  become weaker

Related Roots

• di- apart, not
• dif- apart, not, away from

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