disaffect

D2I1S1A1F4F4E1C3T1
/dɪsəˈfɛkt/

verb

To cause a loss of affection, sympathy or loyalty in; to alienate or estrange.

Similar
estrangealienate
OriginEnglish affect ← Middle English affecten ← Latin affectāre →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

verbdisaffect (third-person singular simple present disaffects, present participle disaffecting, simple past and past participle disaffected)

present singular third person disaffects · participle present disaffecting · participle past disaffected · past disaffected

  1. transitiveTo cause a loss of affection, sympathy or loyalty in; to alienate or estrange.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbarouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness

Similar
estrangealienate
Broader
changealtermodify
Also see
alienateestrange

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  3. Proto-Indo-European*d(w)is-
  4. Proto-Italic*dis-
  5. Latindis-
  6. Old Frenchdes-
  7. Latindis-
  8. Middle Englishdis-
  9. Englishdis-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  11. Proto-Italic*ad
  12. Proto-Italic*ad-
  13. Latinad-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  15. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁k-
  16. Proto-Indo-European*dʰh₁kyéti
  17. Proto-Italic*θakjō
  18. Proto-Italic*fakjō
  19. Latinfaciō
  20. Latinafficiō
  21. Latinaffectō
  22. Latinaffectāre
  23. Middle Englishaffecten
  24. Englishaffect
  25. Englishdisaffect

From dis- + affect.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

disaffect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disaffect

MLA

“disaffect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disaffect. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “disaffect,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disaffect.

Source: disaffect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.