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di-

 - 12 dictionary results

di-

1 
Use di- in a Sentence
a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “two,” “twice,” “double” (diphthong); on this model, freely used in the formation of compound words (dicotyledon; dipolar) and in chemical terms (diatomic; disulfide).
Also, dis- 2 .
Compare mono-.

Origin:
ME ≪ L < Gk, comb. form repr. dís twice, double, akin to dýo two. See bi-, twi-

di-

2 
var. of dis- 1 before b, d, l, m, n, r, s, v, and sometimes g and j: digest; divide.

di-

3 
var. of dia- before a vowel: diorama.

dia-

 
a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek (diabetes; dialect) and used, in the formation of compound words, to mean “passing through” (diathermy), “thoroughly,” “completely” (diagnosis), “going apart” (dialysis), and “opposed in moment” (diamagnetism).
Also, especially before a vowel, di-.

Origin:
< Gk, comb. form repr. diá (prep.) through, between, across, by, of, akin to dýo two and di- di- 1

dis-

1 
a Latin prefix meaning “apart,” “asunder,” “away,” “utterly,” or having a privative, negative, or reversing force (see de-, un- 2 ); used freely, esp. with these latter senses, as an English formative: disability; disaffirm; disbar; disbelief; discontent; dishearten; dislike; disown.
Also, di-.

Origin:
< L (akin to bis, Gk dís twice); before f, dif-; before some consonants, di-; often r. obs. des- < OF
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To di-
di- 1  
pref.  

  1. Two; twice; double: dichromatic.

  2. Containing two atoms, radicals, or groups: dichloride.


[Greek; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]
di- 2  
pref.  Variant of dia-.
dia- or di-  
pref.  

  1. Through: diachronic.

  2. Across: diatropism.


[Greek, from dia, through.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

dis- 
prefix meaning 1. "lack of, not" (e.g. dishonest); 2. "do the opposite of" (e.g. disallow); 3. "apart, away" (e.g. discard), from O.Fr. des-, from L. dis- "apart," from PIE *dis- "apart, asunder" (cf. O.E. te-, O.S. ti-, O.H.G. ze-, Ger. zer-). The PIE root is a secondary form of *dwis- and is thus related to L. bis "twice" (originally *dvis) and to duo, on notion of "two-ways, in twain." Dis has even stepped out on its own as a word (1980), as a shortening of disrespect or dismiss, originally in U.S. Black English, popularized by hip hop slang.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

di- pref.

  1. Two; twice; double: dichromatic.

  2. Containing two atoms, radicals, or groups: diiodide.

dia- or di-
pref.

  1. Through: diapedesis.

  2. Across: diameter.

dis- pref.

  1. Not: disjugate.

  2. Absence of; opposite of: disorientation.

  3. Undo; do the opposite of: dislocate.

  4. Deprive of; remove: dismember.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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