dis-, di-, dif-

(Latin: separation, apart, asunder; removal, away, from; negation, deprivation, undoing, reversal, utterly, completely; in different directions)

The meaning of dis- varies with different words; dif-, assimilated form of dis- before f; di-, form of dis- before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, and v.

disjunct
1. Discontinuous or separated in time or space.
2. Consecutive musical notes that are separated by an interval of a second.
3. Having deep constrictions separating the head, thorax, and abdomen; as with insects.
disjunction (s) (noun), disjunctions (pl)
A broken connection: When a person has a disjunction, then things are not joined together and there is a disconnection.

Disjunctions indicate that there are no links between things that should have relationships in some way.

disjunctive
1. Tending to divide or to separate.
2. Lacking a connection or consistency: "The writer had disjunctive details in his presentation."
3. Serving to divide things, or having the effect of dividing things.
4. Showing contrast as with a word or phrase which indicates opposition or alternatives; such as, "but", "or", and "in contrast to" that establish differences between two words or linguistic elements.
disjunctively
1. A reference to serving or tending to divide or to separate something.
2. Descriptive of a statement, course of action, etc., involving alternatives.
disjuncture
1. The state or condition of being disconnected or being disjoined.
2. A lack of connection between things that are related or should be connected.
diskectomy, discoidectomy
The excision of an intervertebral disk (between two vetebrae).
dislocate (verb), dislocates; dislocated; dislocating
1. In medicine, to move a bone out of its normal position or location in a joint: Caroline slipped on the ice and dislocated her shoulder.
2. To force a person, people, or something from one place or situation to another one: The construction of the new hotel in town will dislocate several businesses and residents that are currently in the site where it will be built.
dislocation (s) (noun), dislocations (pl)
disloyal
disloyally
disloyalness
disloyalty
dismal (adjective), more dismal, most dismal
1. Dark and gloomy; dreary: Mark and Sam were visiting a damp and dismal cave during their explorations.
2. Relating to being depressed and miserable: The nurse noticed how the patient's sickness was making him feel dismal.
3. Descriptive of being very bad, poor, or disaster: The drama that was presented turned out to be a dismal failure. 4. Etymology: from Latin dies mali, "evil days"; via Anglo-Norman dis mal; literally "evil days"; used to indicate two days in each month that, according to ancient superstitions, were supposed to be unfortunate or unlucky days.

The term dismal became known as being a day of "gloom" and "calamity".

There is further information with illustrations about dismal on this page.
dismally (adverb), more dismally, most dismally
Referring to something that is terrible or dreadful: Jim dismally failed his final exam and so he was very gloomy and depressed.
dismantle (verb), dismantles; dismantled; dismantling
1. To take apart, to disassemble, or to tear something down into its constituent pieces in a way that causes it to stop working: The auto mechanic dismantled the engine so he could repair it.
2. To destroy something by removing key elements; such as, an institution or system by removing its essential parts: The school program was dismantled because there was a lack of funding.
3. To strip a room or a building of its furniture or equipment: The buildings were dismantled so they could be demolished and new constructions be done to replace them.
4. Etymology: from the 1570's, from Middle French desmanteler, "to tear down the walls of a fortress", literally, "to strip off a cloak"; from des-, "off, away" or dis-, "apart, lack of, not" + manteler, "to cloak, to mantle".
To tear apart or to tear down.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.