Dis- ::
Dis- () A
prefix from the
Latin, whence F. des, or
sometimes de-, dis-. The Latin
dis-appears as
di-before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, v,
becomes dif-before f, and
either dis-or di-
before j. It is from the same root as bis
twice, and duo, E. two. See Two, and cf. Bi-, Di-, Dia-.
Dis-denotes separation, a
parting from, as in
distribute, disconnect; hence it often has the force of a
privative and
negative, as in
disarm, disoblige, disagree. Also
intensive, as in
dissever..