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di

1 American  
[dee] / di /
Or Di

preposition

  1. from; of: used in Italian personal names, originally to indicate place of origin.

    Conte di Savòia.


di 2 American  
[dee] / di /

noun

Music.
  1. a tone in the ascending chromatic scale between do and re.


Di 3 American  
[dahy] / daɪ /

noun

  1. a female given name, form of Diana.


Di 4 American  
Symbol, Chemistry.
  1. didymium.


DI 5 American  
  1. Department of the Interior.

  2. drill instructor.


di- 6 American  
  1. 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 ).


di- 7 American  
  1. variant of dis- before b, d, l, m, n, r, s, v, and sometimes g and j: digest; divide.


di- 8 American  
  1. variant of dia- before a vowel.

    diorama.


di. 9 American  
Or dia

abbreviation

  1. diameter.


di- 1 British  

combining form

  1. variant of dia-

    diopter

"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

Di 2 British  

symbol

  1. didymium

"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

di- 3 British  

prefix

  1. twice; two; double

    dicotyledon

    1. containing two specified atoms or groups of atoms

      dimethyl ether

      carbon dioxide

    2. a nontechnical equivalent of bi- 1

"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

DI 4 British  

abbreviation

  1. Defence Intelligence

  2. Detective Inspector

  3. Donor Insemination

"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

di– Scientific  
  1. A prefix that means “two,” “twice,” or “double.” It is used commonly in chemistry, as in dioxide, a compound having two oxygen atoms.


Etymology

Origin of di1

< Italian < Latin

Origin of di2

Perhaps alteration of do 2

Origin of di-6

Middle English ≪ Latin < Greek, combining form representing dís twice, double, akin to dýo two. See bi- 1, twi-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Researchers from the University of Padua, Politecnico di Milano, and the CNR Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies have demonstrated a new approach using an unexpected material: borosilicate glass.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

The stunned Italians launched a second-half response with tries from replacements Tommaso di Bartolomeo and Tommaso Allan and fly-half Paolo Garbisi.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Milan's Santagiulia Arena will be the setting for the para ice hockey, while para biathlon and para cross-country skiing events will take place in Val di Fiemme.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

For years, Randall told anyone who would listen, “I am picturing us dancing on a rooftop in Val di Fiemme celebrating a men’s relay medal.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

But the small gray monk sighed and looked to Heaven, as if to say, What else would I expect from Michelangelo di Bologna?

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz