Etymology dictionary

discriminate (adj.) — dismast (v.)

discriminate (adj.)

1620s, "distinct," a sense now archaic, from Latin discriminatus, past participle of discriminare "to divide, separate" (see discriminate (v.)). Sense of "perceiving nice differences" is from 1798. Related: Discriminately.

discriminatory (adj.)

1803, "that marks distinction; making distinctions, discriminating;" see discriminate + -ory. Earlier was discriminative (1620s). As "involving distinctions based on racial prejudice," by 1954.

discus (n.)

circular piece of stone or metal plate about 12 inches in diameter, pitched from a fixed spot the greatest possible distance as a gymnastic exercise and an athletic contest, 1650s, from Latin discus "discus, disk," from Greek diskos "disk, quoit, platter," related to dikein "to throw," which is perhaps from PIE *dik-skos-, from root *deik- "to show, pronounce solemnly; also in derivatives referring to the directing of words or objects" [Watkins]; but Beekes says dikein is of Pre-Greek origin. The notion is "to throw" as "to direct an object."

discursive (adj.)

1590s, "passing rapidly from one subject to another," from French discursif, from Medieval Latin discursivus, from Latin discursus "a running about," in Late Latin "conversation," in Medieval Latin "reasoning" (see discourse (n.)). As "relating to the understanding" (often opposed to intuitive), from c. 1600. Related: Discursively.

discuss (v.)

late 14c., discussen, "to examine, investigate," from Latin discuss-, past participle stem of discutere "to dash to pieces, agitate, strike or shake apart," in Late Latin and Medieval Latin also "to discuss, examine, investigate," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + quatere "to shake" (see quash).

Meaning "examine by argument, debate," the usual modern sense, is from mid-15c. (implied in discussing). Sense evolution in Latin appears to have been from "smash apart" to "scatter, disperse," then in post-classical times (via the mental process involved) to "investigate, examine," then to "debate." Related: Discussed.

discussion (n.)

mid-14c., discussioun, "examination, investigation, judicial trial," from Old French discussion "discussion, examination, investigation, legal trial" and directly from Medieval Latin discussionem (nominative discussio) "examination, discussion," in classical Latin, "a shaking," noun of action from past-participle stem of discutere "strike asunder, break up," in Late Latin and Medieval Latin also "to discuss, examine, investigate," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + quatere "to shake" (see quash).

Meaning "a talking over, debating" in English first recorded mid-15c. Sense evolution in Latin appears to have been from "smash apart" to "scatter, disperse," then in post-classical times (via the mental process involved) to "investigate, examine," then to "debate."

disdain (n.)

mid-14c., desdeyn "scorn, a feeling of contempt mingled with aversion," earlier dedeyne (c. 1300), from Old French desdeigne (Modern French dédain), from desdeignier (see disdain (v.)). Sometimes in early Modern English shortened to sdain.

disdain (v.)

mid-14c., desdeinen, "think unworthy or worthless, look upon with contempt," from Old French desdeignier "disdain, scorn, refuse, repudiate" (Modern French dédaigner), from des- "do the opposite of" (see dis-) + deignier "treat as worthy," from Latin dignari "to deem worthy or fit," from dignus "worthy," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept." Related: Disdained; disdaining.

disdainful (adj.)

"contemptuous, scornful, haughty," 1540s, from disdain (n.) + -ful. Earlier was disdainous (late 14c.). Sometimes in early Modern English shortened to sdainful. Related: Disdainfully; disdainfulness.

disease (n.)

early 14c., "discomfort, inconvenience, distress, trouble," from Old French desaise "lack, want; discomfort, distress; trouble, misfortune; disease, sickness," from des- "without, away" (see dis-) + aise "ease" (see ease (n.)). Restricted pathological sense of "sickness, illness" in English emerged by late 14c.; the word still sometimes was used in its literal sense early 17c., and was somewhat revived 20c., usually with a hyphen (dis-ease).

diseased (adj.)

"affected with a disease," late 15c., past-participle adjective from disease (v.).

disease (v.)

mid-14c., disesen, "to make uneasy, trouble; inflict pain," a sense now obsolete; late 14c. as "to have an illness or infection;" late 15c. in the transitive sense of "to infect with a disease, make ill;" from disease (n.). Tyndale (1526) has Thy doughter is deed, disease not the master where KJV has trouble not (Luke viii.49).

disembark (v.)

1580s, "put on shore, remove from on board a ship to land," also intransitive, "land from a ship, go on shore," from French desembarquer, from des- (see dis-) + embarquer (see embark). Related: Disembarkation; disembarked; disembarking.

disembodied (adj.)

"divested of a body, free from flesh," of a soul or spirit, "separated from a body," 1742, past-participle adjective from disembody.

disembody (v.)

1714, "divest of a body, free from flesh," of a soul or spirit, "separate from a body," from dis- "not" + embody. Related: Disembodiment "act or condition of being disembodied" (1837); earlier it was used of the disbanding of military regiments (1804).

disembogue (v.)

1590s, of a river, etc., "pour out or discharge at the mouth" (transitive); c. 1600, "flow out, become discharged" (intransitive), from Spanish disembocar, from dis- "opposite of" (see dis-) + embocar "enter by the mouth or by a narrow passage," from boca "mouth" (see bouche).

disembowel (v.)

"eviscerate, wound so as to permit the bowels to protrude," c. 1600, from dis- + embowel. Earlier form was disbowel (mid-15c.); embowel, with the same meaning, is attested from 1520s. Related: Disemboweled; disembowelment.

disempower (v.)

"divest or deprive of power or authority," 1745; see dis- + empower. Related: Disempowered; disempowerment.

disenchant (v.)

"free from enchantment, deliver from the power of charms or spells," 1580s, from French desenchanter (13c.), from des- (see dis-) + enchanter "to enchant," from Latin incantare "to enchant, fix a spell upon" (see enchant). Related: Disenchanted; disenchanting. Carlyle coined disenchantress (1831).

disenchantment (n.)

"act or state of being freed from enchantment," 1610s, from disenchant + -ment.

disencumber (v.)

"to free from whatever burdens, hampers, or impedes," 1590s, from Old French desencombrer;" see dis- + encumber. Related: Disencumbered; disencumbering.

disenfranchise (v.)

"deprive of civil or electoral privileges," 1660s, from dis- + enfranchise. Earlier form was disfranchise (mid-15c.). Related: Disenfranchised; disenfranchisement.

disengage (v.)

c. 1600 in figurative sense "loosen from that which entangles;" 1660s in literal sense of "detach, release from connection," from dis- "do the opposite of" + engage (q.v.). Intransitive sense of "withdraw, become separated" is from 1640s. Related: Disengaged; disengaging.

disengagement (n.)

1640s, "act or process of setting free; state of being disengaged," from French désengagement, from desengager (see disengage). By 1701 as "freedom from engrossing occupation, leisure."

disentangle (v.)

1590s, "free from entanglement" (transitive); see dis- + entangle. Related: Disentangled; disentangling; disentanglement.

disenthrall (v.)

"liberate from bondage or servitude, free from what holds in mental or physical subjection," 1640s, from dis- + enthrall. Related: Disenthralled; disenthralling; disenthrallment.

disequilibrium (n.)

"absence or destruction of equilibrium," 1840; see dis- + equilibrium. Specific sense in economics is by 1927.

disestablish (v.)

"deprive of the character of being established," 1590s, especially, of a church, "withdraw from exclusive state recognition or privileges" (1832), from dis- + establish. Related: Disestablishment "act of withdrawing (a church) from a privileged relation to the state" (1747; in a non-specific sense, of laws, from 1734); disestablishmentarian (1874).

disesteem (v.)

"consider with disregard or slight contempt," 1590s, from dis- + esteem (v.). Perhaps modeled on Old French desestimer. Related: Disesteemed; disesteeming; disestimation.

disfavor (n.)

1530s "unfavorable regard, slight displeasure;" 1580s, "state of being regarded unfavorably;" see dis- "the opposite of" + favor (n.). As a verb, "withdraw or withhold favor or support," from 1560s. Related: Disfavored; disfavoring.

disfavour

chiefly British English spelling of disfavor (q.v.); for ending, see -or. Related: Disfavoured; disfavouring.

disfigure (v.)

late 14c., "mar the external figure of, impair the beauty, symmetry, or excellence of," also "transform the appearance of, disguise," from Old French desfigurer "disfigure, alter, disguise, destroy," from Medieval Latin diffigurare, from assimilated form of Latin dis- (see dis-) + figurare "to form, shape," from figura "a shape, form, figure" (from PIE root *dheigh- "to form, build"). Related: Disfigured; disfiguring; disfiguration.

disfigurement (n.)

"act or state of being disfigured," 1630s, from disfigure + -ment. The Middle English noun was simply disfigure.

disfranchise (v.)

"deprive of the rights and privileges of a free citizen or member of a corporation," especially that of voting, late 15c., from dis- + franchise (v.). Related: Disfranchised; disfranchising; disfranchisement.

disfunction (n.)

1914, variant of dysfunction (q.v.).

disfunctional (adj.)

1917, variant of dysfunctional (q.v.).

disgorge (v.)

"eject or throw out from, or as if from, the stomach or throat; vomit forth, discharge," late 15c. (Caxton), from Old French desgorgier "to disgorge, pour out," from des- (see dis-) + gorge "throat" (see gorge (n.)). Related: Disgorged; disgorging; disgorgement.

disgrace (n.)

1580s, "state of being out of favor of one in a powerful or exalted position;" also "cause of shame or reproach;" 1590s, "state of ignominy, dishonor, or shame," from French disgrace (16c.), from Italian disgrazia, from dis- (see dis-) + grazia, from Latin gratia "favor, esteem, regard; pleasing quality, good will, gratitude" (see grace (n.)).

disgrace (v.)

1550s, "disfigure, deprive of (outward) grace," a sense now obsolete; 1590s, "put out of favor, dismiss with discredit," also "bring shame or reproach upon" from French disgracier (16c.), from Italian disgraziare, from disgrazia "misfortune, deformity," from dis- "opposite of" (see dis-) + grazia "grace" (see grace (n.)). Related: Disgraced; disgracing.

disgraceful (adj.)

1590s, "graceless," from dis- + graceful; also "full of disgrace, shameful, dishonorable, bringing or deserving shame" (1590s), from disgrace (n.) + -ful. Related: Disgracefully; disgracefulness.

disgruntled (adj.)

"thrown into a state of sulky dissatisfaction," 1680s, past-participle adjective from disgruntle.

disgruntle (v.)

"disappoint, offend, throw into a state of sulky dissatisfaction," 1680s, from dis-, here probably meaning "entirely, very," + obsolete gruntle "to grumble, utter a low grunt" (Middle English gruntelen, early 15c.), frequentative of grunt (v.); hence "to complain" (by 1560s). All citations in OED are in the form of the past-participle adjective.

disguise (v.)

c. 1300, "conceal the personal identity of by changes of guise or usual appearance, with intent to deceive," from Old French desguiser "disguise, change one's appearance" (11c., Modern French déguiser), from des- "away, off" (see dis-) + guise "style, appearance," which is from Germanic (see guise).

From mid-14c. as "conceal or cover up the original character of by a counterfeit form or appearance." Originally primarily "to put out of one's usual manner" (of dress, etc.), "change one's appearance;" a sense preserved in phrase disguised with liquor (1560s) "being changed in behavior by intoxication."

Related: Disguised; disguising.

disguise (n.)

c. 1400, "strange style of dress" (especially one meant to deceive), from disguise (v.). Meaning "false or misleading appearance, something that serves or is intended for concealment of identity" is from 1630s. Disguisement in this sense is from 1570s but now is disused.

disgust (v.)

c. 1600, "have a strong distaste for or repugnance to," from French desgouster "have a distaste for" (16c.), from desgoust "distaste," also "strong dislike" (see disgust (n.)).

The sense has strengthened over time in English, and subject and object have been reversed; the older use looks like this: "It is not very palatable, which makes some disgust it" (1660s). The reverse sense of "to excite nausea and loathing in" is attested from 1640s. Related: Disgusted; disgusting.

disgust (n.)

1590s, "repugnance excited by something offensive or loathsome," from French desgoust "strong dislike, repugnance," literally "distaste" (16c., Modern French dégoût), from desgouster "have a distaste for," from des- "opposite of" (see dis-) + gouster "taste," from Latin gustare "to taste" (from PIE root *geus- "to taste; to choose"). The literal sense, "distaste, aversion to the taste of," is from 1610s in English.

disgusting (adj.)

"causing disgust, offensive to the taste physically, morally, or aesthetically," 1754, present-participle adjective from disgust (v.). Related: Disgustingly. Disgustful "causing disgust" (1610s) was "Very common in 17-18th c." [OED].

dish (n.)

Old English disc "plate, bowl, platter," from Latin discus "dish, platter, quoit," in Medieval Latin "a table, dais, desk, pulpit," from Greek diskos "disk, platter" (see disk (n.)).

A common West Germanic borrowing; Old High German took the word as tisc "plate," but German Tisch now means "table," in common with some other later Romanic forms of Latin discus (such as Italian desco, French dais); compare desk (n.), dais.

Meaning "particular variety of food served in a dish" is first recorded mid-15c. Meaning "what one likes, what is suited to one's taste" is by 1918; that of "attractive woman" is 1920s. Meaning "concave reflector or antenna" attested from 1948.

dish (v.)

"to serve food in a dish or dishes," late 14c., from dish (n.). German tischen is "serve the table" and Swedish diska is "to wash dishes."

The modern slang meaning "to disparage, denigrate" is attested by 1940s; probably from the same figurative notion in dish it out "administer punishment" (1934). But dished meant "wasted, spent" in early 15c., presumably "used up as if made a meal of," and the same image was reborn centuries later in slang dish "frustrate, ruin, cheat" (1798), used by Byron, Scott, etc. Related: Dished; dishing.

dishabille (n.)

"undress or negligent dress," especially "a loose morning dress," 1670s, from French déshabillé (17c.), noun use of past participle of déshabiller "to undress" (oneself), from des- (see dis-) + habiller "to dress," originally "prepare, arrange," from Latin habitus "condition, demeanor, appearance, dress," originally past participle of habere "to have, hold, possess; wear; find oneself, be situated; consider, think, reason, have in mind; manage, keep," from PIE root *ghabh- "to give or receive."

disharmony (n.)

"discord, incongruity, want of harmony," c. 1600; see dis- + harmony.

dish-cloth (n.)

also dishcloth, "cloth for washing dishes," 1828, from dish (n.) + cloth. It relegated earlier dish-clout (1520s) to dialect. Dish-rag is by 1839. All have been taken as types of limpness or weakness. Dish-mop, "bundle of threads or cloth scraps fixed securely on a stick," used when the dish-waster is hotter than the hands can bear, is by 1856.

dishearten (v.)

"discourage, deject, depress the spirits of," 1590s (in "Henry V"), from dis- "the opposite of" + hearten. Related: Disheartened; disheartening; dishearteningly.

dishevel (v.)

"to loosen and throw about in disorder, cause to have a disordered or neglected appearance," 1590s, said originally of the hair, later of the dress. It is chiefly a back-formation from disheveled (q.v.).

disheveled (adj.)

also dishevelled, early 15c., "without dressed hair," parallel form of dishevel, dischevele (adj.) "bare-headed," late 14c., from Old French deschevele "bare-headed, with shaven head," past-participle adjective from descheveler "to disarrange the hair," from des- "apart" (see dis-) + chevel "hair," from Latin capillus "hair" (see capillary).

Of the hair itself, "hanging loose and throw about in disorder, having a disordered or neglected appearance," from mid-15c. General sense of "with disordered dress" is from c. 1600.

dishy (adj.)

"very attractive," 1961, from dish (n.) in the "attractive or desirable person or thing" sense + -y (2).

dishonest (adj.)

late 14c., "disgraceful, shameful, without honesty or integrity; unjust, unfair, disposed to deceive or cheat; unmodest, unchaste," from Old French deshoneste (13c., Modern French déshonnête) "dishonorable, horrible, indecent," perhaps from a Medieval Latin or Gallo-Roman compound of Latin dis- "not" (see dis-) + honestus "honorable; deserving honor, respectable," from honos "honor, dignity, office, reputation," which is of unknown origin. The Latin formation was dehonestus. Related: Dishonestly.

dishonesty (n.)

late 14c., "disgrace, shame, want of honor," from Old French deshonesté (13c., Modern French deshonnéteté) "dishonor, impropriety," from des- (see dis-) + Latin honestatem (nominative honestas) "honorableness," from honestus "honorable; deserving honor, respectable," from honos "honor, dignity, office, reputation," which is of unknown origin. Meaning "want of honesty, lack of integrity," the main modern sense, is recorded from 1590s.

dishonor (v.)

mid-13c., "deprive of honor, disgrace," from Old French deshonorer (12c.), from Medieval Latin dishonorare (reformed from classical Latin dehonestare), from dis- "opposite of" (see dis-) + honorare "to honor," from honor "honor, dignity, office, reputation," which is of unknown origin. Related: Dishonored; dishonoring.

dishonor (n.)

c. 1300, "want of honor in conduct; state of being disgraced; a violation of one's honor or dignity," from Old French deshonor (12c., Modern French déshonneur), from deshonorer (see dishonor (v.)). Meaning "a cause or source of shame" is from 1550s.

dishonorable (adj.)

"showing lack of honor, base, staining character and lessening reputation," 1530s; see dis- + honorable. Related: Dishonorably.

dishonour

chiefly British English spelling of dishonor; also see -or and compare honor. Related: Dishonoured; dishonouring; dishonourable; dishonourably.

dishpan (n.)

also dish-pan, "pan in which dishes are washed," 1858, from dish (n.) + pan (n.). Dishpan hands "inflamed or sore hands caused by housework" is attested by 1935, an advertiser's phrase.

dish-washer (n.)

also dishwasher, mid-15c., "person who washes dishes;" 1867, "apparatus that washes dishes;" from dish (n.) + washer (n.1).

dish-water (n.)

also dishwater, "water in which dishes have been washed," late 15c., from dish (n.) + water (n.1). Used figuratively of weak broth, coffee, etc. from 1719. Earlier in Middle English was dischwaschyngs (c. 1300).

disillusion (v.)

"to free or be freed from illusion," 1855, from a noun disillusion meaning "act of freeing from illusion" (1814); see dis- + illusion. Related: Disillusioned; disillusioning.

disillusionment (n.)

"process of disillusioning; state of being free from illusion," 1855, from disillusion + -ment.

disincentive (n.)

"a source of discouragement," 1946; see dis- + incentive (n.).

disincline (v.)

"make averse or unwilling," 1640s, from dis- + incline (v.). Related: Disinclined; disinclining.

disinclination (n.)

"want of propensity, desire, or affection; slight dislike or aversion," 1640s; see dis- + inclination.

disindividualize (v.)

"divest of individuality," 1839; see dis- + individualize. Related: Disindividualized; disindividualizing.

disinfect (v.)

"cleanse from infection, destroy the germs or disease in," 1590s, perhaps from French désinfecter (16c.), or formed in English from dis- + infect. Related: Disinfected; disinfecting.

disinfectant (n.)

"agent used for destroying the germs of infectious diseases," 1837, from French désinfectant (1816), noun use of present participle of désinfecter (see disinfect), or else from the adjective in English (by 1827), "serving to disinfect." Related: Disinfection.

disinformation (n.)

"The dissemination of deliberately false information, esp. when supplied by a government or its agent to a foreign power or to the media, with the intention of influencing the policies or opinions of those who receive it" [OED], 1955, from Russian dezinformatsiya (1949), which is said to be from French désinformation, but the French word is not as old as the Russian one; see dis- + information.

disingenuous (adj.)

"lacking in candor, insincere; not open, frank, or candid," 1650s, from dis- "opposite of" + ingenuous. Related: Disingenuously; disingenuousness; disenginuity (1640s).

disinherit (v.)

"deprive of inheritance or right to inherit," mid-15c. (implied in disinherited), from dis- + inherit. Related: Disinheriting; disinheritance. Replaced earlier desherit (c. 1300), from Old French desheriter.

disinhibition (n.)

"reduction of or freedom from inhibition," 1927; see dis- + inhibition. From the start it was noted as being, often, "inhibition of an inhibition."

disinter (v.)

"take out of a grave or of the earth, exhume," 1610s, from French désenterrer (15c.), from dés- (see dis-) + enterrer "to inter" (see inter). Related: Disinterred; disinterment.

disintegrate (v.)

1796, transitive, "separate into component parts, destroy the cohesion of," originally in geology, from dis- "do the opposite of" + integrate (v.). Intransitive sense, "to break apart, separate into its component parts," is by 1851. Related: Disintegrated; disintegrating.

disintegration (n.)

"destruction of the cohesion of constituent parts," originally in geology, 1796, noun of action from disintegrate.

disinterested (adj.)

1610s, "unconcerned" (the sense that now would go with uninterested), from dis- "opposite of" + interested. The sense of "impartial" originally was in disinteressed (c. 1600), from Old French desinteresse, and subsequently passed to uninterested. The modern sense of disinterested, "impartial, free from self-interest or personal bias, acting from unselfish motives," is attested by 1650s.

By late 18c. the words had sorted themselves out, and as things now stand, disinterested means "impartial," uninterested means "caring nothing for the matter in question," and disinteressed has fallen by the wayside. Related: Disinterestedly; disinterestedness.

disinterest (n.)

"impartiality," 1650s, from dis- "opposite of" + interest (n.).

disinvestment (n.)

"reduction of investment," 1938, in writings of J.M. Keynes, from dis- + investment. The verb disinvest in the economic sense is a back-formation attested from 1961. Related: Disinvested; disinvesting.

disinvite (v.)

"recall an invitation to," 1570s; see dis- + invite. Related: Disinvited; disinviting. Compare uninvite.

disjecta membra (n.)

"scattered remains" (especially literary), from Horace's Latin phrase disjecti membra poetae "limbs of a dismembered poet." From neuter plural of disiectus + plural of membrum.

disjointed (adj.)

1580s, of words or speech, "incoherent;" 1640s in the literal sense of "having the joints separated;" past-participle adjective from obsolete verb disjoint "separate or disconnect the joints of; disrupt, destroy" (mid-15c.), from Old French desjoint, past participle of desjoindre, from Latin disiungere, from dis- (see dis-) + iungere "to join together," from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join." Related: Disjointedly; disjointedness.

disjunction (n.)

c. 1400, disjunccioun, "fracture" (of a bone), from Old French disjunction (13c.) and directly from Latin disiunctionem (nominative disiunctio) "separation," noun of action from past-participle stem of disiungere, from dis- (see dis-) + iungere "to join together," from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join."

disjuncture (n.)

"act of disjointing, state of being disjointed," c. 1400, originally surgical, "dislocation," from Medieval Latin disjunctura, from Latin disiungere from dis- (see dis-) + iungere "to join together," from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join." Figurative use from 1680s.

disk (n.)

1660s, "round, approximately flat surface," from Latin discus "quoit, discus, disk," from Greek diskos "disk, quoit, platter," related to dikein "to throw" (see discus).

The American English preferred spelling; also see disc. From 1803 as "thin, circular plate;" sense of "phonograph disk" is by 1888; computing sense is from 1947. Disk jockey first recorded 1941; dee-jay is from 1955; DJ is by 1961; video version veejay is from 1982. Disk-drive is from 1952.

diskette (n.)

"floppy disk," 1973, from disk with diminutive suffix -ette.

dislike (v.)

1540s (implied in disliking), "be displeased with, regard with some aversion or displeasure," a hybrid which ousted native mislike as the opposite of like (v.). In common with disgust, it sometimes reversed the direction of its action and meant (in this case) "annoy, vex, displease" (1570s), but this sense is archaic or obsolete. Related: Disliked; disliking. The noun sense of "feeling of being displeased" is from 1590s. English in 16c. also had dislove "hate, cease to love," but it did not survive.

dislocation (n.)

c. 1400, dislocacioun, "displacement of parts," originally of bones of the limbs, from Old French dislocacion (14c.), or directly from Medieval Latin dislocationem (nominative dislocatio), noun of action from past participle stem of dislocare "put out of place," from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + locare "to place," from locus "a place," which is of uncertain origin. General sense is from c. 1600.

dislocate (v.)

"displace, put out of regular position," especially of a limb or organ of the body, c. 1600, from Medieval Latin dislocatus, past participle of dislocare "put out of place," from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + locare "to place," from locus "a place," which is of uncertain origin. Related: Dislocated; dislocating. Earlier as a past-participle adjective, "out of joint" (c. 1400).

dislodge (v.)

"remove or drive from a resting place," c. 1400, disloggen, from Old French deslogier "to leave or cause to leave a lodging place; expel, drive away," from des- "do the opposite of" (see dis-) + logier "to lodge; find lodging for," from loge "hut, cabin" (see lodge (n.)). Related: Dislodged; dislodging.

disloyal (adj.)

early 15c. (implied in disloyally), "not true to one's allegiance" (to a sovereign, state, or government), from Old French desloial, desleal "treacherous, false, deceitful" (Modern French déloyal), from des- "not, opposite of" (see dis-) + loial "of good quality; faithful; honorable; law-abiding; legitimate, born in wedlock," from Latin legalem, from lex "law" (see legal). Sometimes also "not true to one's obligations or engagements," especially to a lover, spouse, or friend, (late 15c.), but this sense is rare.

disloyalty (n.)

"want of loyalty, unfaithful behavior," early 15c., disloialte, from a variant of Old French desloiaute, desleauté "disloyalty, faithlessness, marital infidelity," from desloial, desleal "treacherous, false, deceitful" (Modern French déloyal), from des- "not, opposite of" (see dis-) + loial "of good quality; faithful; honorable; law-abiding; legitimate, born in wedlock," from Latin legalem, from lex "law" (see legal). Since c. 1600 especially "violation of allegiance or duty to a state or sovereign."

dismay (v.)

c. 1300, dismaien, "become or be alarmed, upset, or frightened; to confound, break down the courage of by danger or difficulty or fear of calamity, fill with despairing apprehension;" perhaps formed in Anglo-French or Middle English from dis-, here probably intensive (see dis-), + amaien, esmaien, from Old French esmaier "to trouble, disturb."

This is from Vulgar Latin *exmagare "divest of power or ability" (source of Italian smagare "to weaken, dismay, discourage"), from ex- (see ex-) + Proto-Germanic *magan "to be able" (source also of Old High German magen "to be powerful or able"), from PIE root *magh- "to be able, have power."

There also was an Old French *desmaier (attested only in past participle dismaye), from de-, intensive prefix, + Old French esmaier, which also might be the source of the Middle English word. Spanish desmayer "to be dispirited" is a loan word from Old French. Related: Dismayed; dismaying.

dismay (n.)

c. 1300, dismai, "consternation, fear, sudden or complete loss of courage, terrified amazement," from dismay (v.) or else from Old French esmai on the same pattern that formed the English verb.

dismal (adj.)

c. 1400, "unlucky, inauspicious," in dismal day, earlier as a noun, in the dismal (c. 1300) "in days of misfortune or disaster, under inauspicious circumstances, at an unlucky time," from Anglo-French dismal (mid-13c.), apparently from Old French (li) dis mals "(the) bad days," from Medieval Latin dies mali "evil or unlucky days" (also called dies Ægyptiaci), from Latin dies "days" (from PIE root *dyeu- "to shine") + mali, plural of malus "bad" (from PIE root *mel- (3) "false, bad, wrong").

Through the Middle Ages, calendars marked as unlucky two days of each month (Jan. 1, 25; Feb. 4, 26; March 1, 28; April 10, 20; May 3, 25; June 10, 16; July 13, 22; Aug. 1, 30; Sept. 3, 21; Oct. 3, 22; Nov. 5, 28; Dec. 7, 22), supposedly based on the ancient calculations of Egyptian astrologers.

By 1580s the English word had been extended to "gloomy, dreary, cheerless," and was used to describe physical surroundings, sounds, or anything else felt as tending to depress the spirits. In North America, it was the name given along the seacoast and sounds around North Carolina to tracts of swampy land and dead trees (1763). The dismal science (1849) was Carlyle's name for "political economics." Related: Dismally.

dismantle (v.)

1570s, "deprive or strip of fortifications or equipment, raze, destroy, tear down," from French desmanteler "to tear down the walls of a fortress," literally "strip of a cloak," from des- "off, away" (see dis-) + manteler "to cloak," from mantel "cloak" (see mantle (n.)). The literal sense, "deprive of dress, strip" (c. 1600) is archaic or obsolete in English. Related: Dismantled; dismantling.

dismast (v.)

"deprive (a ship) of a mast or masts," 1740, from dis- + mast (n.1). Related: Dismasted; dismasting.