Dictionary

disunite en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /dɪsjuːˈnaɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ▲ Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu. Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des-bor. ▲ Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos Proto-Italic *oinos Old Latin oinos Latin ūnus Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin ūniō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Latin ūnītuslbor. Middle English uniten English unite English disunite From dis- + unite.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To cause disagreement or alienation among or within.
   • If they cannot disunite them by domestic broils, then they engage their neighbours against them. 1516, Sir Thomas More, “Of Their Military Discipline”, in Utopia:
   • Secrets disunite a family. 1863, Charles Reade, chapter 44, in Hard Cash:
2. (transitive) To separate, sever, or split.
   • I have discovered how to disunite that force and that particle. 1899, Robert Barr, chapter 16, in Jennie Baxter, Journalist:
3. (intransitive) To disintegrate; to come apart.
   • You cannot bind me more to you, my lord. Farewell till we renew... I trust, renew A converse ne'er to disunite again. 1843, Robert Browning, A Blot In The 'Scutcheon, act I:

Forms

Deriveds

disuniter · disunitable

Relateds

deunionize · disunity

Translations (11)

nl verdeeldheid zaaien onder (cause disagreement or alienation among or within) · mk разединува (cause disagreement or alienation among or within) · nl uiteenvallen (disintegrate; come apart) · hy տրոհել (separate, sever, or split) · la disiungō (separate, sever, or split) · bg разединявам (separate, sever, or split) · la disiungō (cause disagreement or alienation among or within) · mk разединува (separate, sever, or split) · nl uit elkaar spelen (cause disagreement or alienation among or within) · bg разделям (separate, sever, or split) · fi erottaa (separate, sever, or split)