Are you curious about how the prefix DIS- can you prove your vocabulary? In this blog post, we’ll explore how the prefix DIS- is used to create new NOUNS, ADJECTIVES, and VERBS. From disappear to discover, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of words that begin with DIS- and understand how this prefix affects words we may already know.
The prefix dis- typically carries a sense of negation, reversal, or separation. It is commonly used to change the meaning of a word to its opposite or to indicate the removal or absence of something. To disappear is to vanish or go away completely. To disagree implies a lack of agreement.
By continuing to read this blog post, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how the prefix DIS- transforms old words into something new. You will also find a free PDF download that includes an extensive list of DIS- prefix words for you to explore and expand your language skills.
Prefix DIS- Origin
This prefix comes from the Latin DIS-, sometimes via Old French DES-.
Did You Know?
The prefix DIF- is an alternate form of DIS-. It only shows up when it’s combined with a word that starts with the letter F and we want to show the opposite. An example of this is the Latin word “difficilis,” which became “difficult” in English. This word is derived from the word “facilis,” meaning “easy.” Difficult = not Easy!
NOUNS with the Prefix DIS-
disagreement – A situation where people have different opinions about something and often argue
- After a long conversation, we worked through our disagreements. Now everything is fine.
disarmament – The fact of a country reducing the size of its armed forces or the number of weapons, especially nuclear weapons, that it has
- International disarmament treaties aim to decrease the number of nuclear weapons in the world.
The government’s commitment to disarmament was met with mixed reactions from the public.
disapproval – A feeling that you do not like an idea, an action or somebody’s behavior because you think it is bad, not suitable or going to have a bad effect on somebody else
- The president’s disapproval rating has gone through the roof.
disbarment – The fact or process of stopping a lawyer from working in the legal profession, especially because they have done something illegal
- The attorney faced disbarment after being found guilty of embezzlement.
disbelief – The feeling of not being able to believe something
- The TV news programs showed all the damage caused by the hurricane. I watched in disbelief.
Sarah stared at the lottery ticket in disbelief as she realized that she had won the jackpot.
discomfort – A state of physical or psychological unease or distress
- You may feel some mild discomfort when the needle goes in, but it’s nothing to worry about.
discontent – A feeling of dissatisfaction or unhappiness
- There was a widespread feeling of discontent with the new strict policies at the office.
disease – An illness affecting humans, animals or plants, often caused by infection
- Modern medicine can now treat more diseases than ever before.
disinformation – False or misleading information intentionally spread
- There’s a lot of disinformation on the internet these days.
disillusion – A feeling of disappointment or loss of belief in something
- There’s a growing disillusion with various news outlets. It’s hard to know who you can trust.
disinterest – Lack of interest or concern in something or someone
- With online shopping becoming more and more popular there’s a growing disinterest in actually going to a store. Why go out when you can get everything you need delivered to your house?
dislike – A feeling of not liking or having a negative opinion about something or someone
- The new job seemed nice but Nancy took an instant dislike to one of her co-workers.
I have a strong dislike for spicy food, it gives me indigestion.
disorder – A state of confusion or lack of order
- Randy suffers from a rare blood disorder. He needs to take three kinds of medicine every day.
disqualification – The act of being deemed ineligible or unfit for something
- If an athlete is found with drugs in their system this leads to immediate disqualification.
disrespect – Lack of respect or rude behavior toward someone or something
- The boss wasn’t happy with the disrespect being shown to him by the staff.
ADJECTIVES with the Prefix DIS-
disagreeable – Not nice or pleasant
- Nancy found the attitude of her co-worker to be very disagreeable.
disheartening – Making you lose hope or confidence
- Receiving a failing grade on the test was disheartening for Lester. He had studied very hard.
The constant rejection from publishers was disheartening for the aspiring author, but she refused to give up on her dreams.
disinclined – Not willing
- Fred has a history of dishonesty. I am strongly disinclined to believe anything that he says.
distasteful – Offensive, unpleasant, or disagreeable
- I didn’t like his art at all. I found his paintings to be unattractive and distasteful.
VERBS with the Prefix DIS-
disable – To cause someone or something to become unable to function properly
- The burglar was able to disable the alarm and get inside the warehouse.
disagree – To have a different opinion or to not agree with something
- I understand what you’re saying but I’m afraid I disagree with your plan of action.
disallow – To officially refuse to accept something because it has not been done in the correct way
- The referee had to disallow the goal because it was scored after the final whistle was blown.
disappear – To become impossible to see
- The magician made the rabbit disappear from the hat, leaving the audience amazed.
The sun began to set, casting long shadows as the day started to disappear into the darkness.
disapprove – To have a negative opinion or judgment about something
- Her parents disapproved of her boyfriend but she didn’t care, she was in love.
disarm – To remove weapons or defenses from someone or something
- A mugger with a knife tried to take my money last night. I surprised him, disarmed him, and I held him down until the police came.
disassemble – To take apart or dismantle something
- The mechanics had to disassemble my entire engine to fix the problem. This repair job is going to be expensive.
disavow – To state publicly that you have no knowledge of something or that you are not responsible for something/somebody
- The politician quickly disavowed the controversial statement made by one of his party members.
disband – To break up or dissolve a group or organization
- After the third album, the group disbanded so they can each pursue solo projects.
disbar – To stop a lawyer from working in the legal profession, especially because they have done something illegal
- The shady lawyer was disbarred from practicing law in the state of Nevada.
The court decided to disbar the attorney for many counts of professional misconduct.
discolor – To change color
- After being outside in my backyard for 3 years all my patio furniture has discolored from the sun
disconnect – To separate or sever a connection or link
- Before I install a new range on my stove I need to disconnect the gas.
discontinue – To cease or stop doing something
- I heard the company is going to discontinue this product. I should buy as much as I can well they still make it.
discredit – To cause someone or something to be doubted or disbelieved
- The lawyer worked hard to discredit the witness for the other side.
discover – To find somebody/something that was hidden or that you did not expect to find
- I discovered a great little cafe when I was walking around downtown.
disengage -To free somebody/something from the person or thing that is holding them or it; to become free
- Glenda decided to completely disengage from social media in order to focus on studying for exams.
During the heated debate, the politician made a conscious effort to disengage from personal attacks.
disillusion – To destroy somebody’s belief in or good opinion of somebody/something
- I want to prepare my children for the real world when they move out on their own. I may have to disillusion them but it is necessary.
disinfect – To clean or sterilize something to remove or kill pathogens
- You should always disinfect the kitchen counter after you have been preparing any kind of raw meat.
disintegrate – To break into small parts or pieces and be destroyed
- Over time, the old building began to disintegrate, and its walls started to crumble.
dislike – To not like somebody/something
- Amanda has a kind heart, she doesn’t dislike anyone.
dislocate – To put a bone out of its normal position in a joint
- The gymnast fell from the uneven bars and dislocated her shoulder.
The athlete suffered a dislocated shoulder during the match and had to be rushed to the hospital.
dislodge – To force or knock something out of its position
- The strong wind managed to dislodge several tiles from the roof during the storm.
dismount – To get off or descend from a horse, bicycle, or vehicle
- After the race, the jockey dismounted and accepted the trophy the first place.
disobey – To refuse to follow or comply with a command or instruction
- Children shouldn’t disobey their teachers at school.
disorient – To make somebody unable to recognize where they are or where they should go/To make somebody feel confused
- Climbing to high altitudes can disorient you. The air becomes very thin.
disown – To deny or refuse to acknowledge or accept as one’s own
- His parents disowned him after his third trip to jail.
disprove – To demonstrate that something is false or incorrect
- Science is a very strict discipline. Scientists are always trying to disprove their own theories.
The new scientific study provided strong evidence to disprove the previously accepted theory.
disqualify – To declare someone or something as ineligible or unfit
- Having drugs in your system will disqualify you from the competition.
disregard – To ignore or pay no attention to something or someone
- Toby disregarded the message and went to the meeting anyway.
disrespect – To speak about or treat somebody/something without respect
- He disrespected his boss by showing up to the meeting after he was told not to.
disrobe – To take off your or somebody else’s clothes; to take off clothes worn for an official ceremony
- The doctor asked me to disrobe and lay on the examination table.
distrust – To feel that you cannot trust or believe somebody/something
- I distrust most politicians.
After being betrayed by a close friend, she began to distrust everyone’s intentions.
Printable Prefix DIS- PDF Word List
Download the Word List as a printable PDF. Great for teachers to use with private or group classes. PDF contains the live links from the post.
- CO Prefix (23 Real Examples – Video – Free PDF)
- The Suffix -wise (Real Examples – PDF Download – Video)
- The Prefixes EN- and EM- (31 Examples – PDF guide)
- How do you use the suffix -al? (Examples, Free PDF, Video)
- The Suffix Able – 32 Real Examples (PDF wordlist + Video)
- The Prefix Trans- (Definitions, 52 Examples, Video, PDF)
- The Prefix SUB- (32 Examples・Free 9-page PDF・Video)
Thanks to storyset.com a division of freepik.com for the great images. Images groups that were used in this post are linked below.
Work illustrations by Storyset
People illustrations by Storyset
Health illustrations by Storyset
