disinterested
[ dis-in-tuh-res-tid, -tri-stid ]
adjective
unbiased by personal interest or advantage; not influenced by selfish motives: a disinterested decision by the referee.
not interested; indifferent.
Origin of disinterested
1First recorded in 1605–15; dis-1 + interested
synonym study For disinterested
1. See fair1.
confusables note For disinterested
Disinterested and uninterested share a confused and confusing history. Disinterested was originally used to mean “not interested, indifferent”; uninterested in its earliest use meant “impartial.” By various developmental twists, disinterested is now used in both senses. Uninterested is used mainly in the sense “not interested, indifferent.” It is occasionally used to mean “not having a personal or property interest.”
Many object to the use of disinterested to mean “not interested, indifferent.” They insist that disinterested can mean only “impartial”: A disinterested observer is the best judge of behavior. However, both senses are well established in all varieties of English, and the sense intended is almost always clear from the context.
Many object to the use of disinterested to mean “not interested, indifferent.” They insist that disinterested can mean only “impartial”: A disinterested observer is the best judge of behavior. However, both senses are well established in all varieties of English, and the sense intended is almost always clear from the context.
Other words for disinterested
Opposites for disinterested
Other words from disinterested
- dis·in·ter·est·ed·ly, adverb
- dis·in·ter·est·ed·ness, noun
- non·dis·in·ter·est·ed, adjective
Words that may be confused with disinterested
- disinterested , uninterested (see confusables note at the current entry)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for disinterested
disinterested
/ (dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd, -tərɪs-) /
adjective
free from bias or partiality; objective
not interested
usage For disinterested
Many people consider that the use of disinterested to mean not interested is incorrect and that uninterested should be used
Derived forms of disinterested
- disinterestedly, adverb
- disinterestedness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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