dis

¹ American  

[dees] / dis /

noun

Scandinavian Mythology.

plural

disir

1. lady; woman.

2. female deity, especially one promoting fertility: often used as a suffix on names.

   Freydis; Hjordis; Thordis.

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dis ² American  

[dis] / dɪs /

verb (used with object)

dissed, dissing

1. to show disrespect for; affront.

2. to disparage; belittle.

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noun

1. insult or disparagement; criticism.

Dis ³ American  

[dis] / dɪs /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. a god of the underworld.

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DIS ⁴ American  

abbreviation

Trademark.

1. the Disney Channel: a cable television channel.

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dis- ⁵ American  

1. a Latin prefix meaning “apart,” “asunder,” “away,” “utterly,” or having a privative, negative, or reversing force (de-,un- ); used freely, especially with these latter senses, as an English formative.

   disability; disaffirm; disbar; disbelief; discontent; dishearten; dislike; disown.

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dis- ⁶ American  

1. variant of di- before s: dissyllable.

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dis. ⁷ American  

abbreviation

1. distance.

2. distant.

3. distribute.

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dis- ¹ British  

prefix

1. indicating reversal

   disconnect

   disembark

2. indicating negation, lack, or deprivation

   dissimilar

   distrust

   disgrace

3. indicating removal or release

   disembowel

   disburden

4. expressing intensive force

   dissever

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Dis ² British  

/ dɪs /

noun

1. Also called: Orcus.   Pluto.  the Roman god of the underworld

2. the abode of the dead; underworld

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dis- ³ British  

combining form

1. variant of di- 1

   dissyllable

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dis ⁴ British  

/ dɪs /

verb

1. a variant spelling of diss

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Usage

What does dis mean? Dis means to disrespect, belittle, or disparage something or someone, usually publicly, as in Zuhair dissed Jamal by telling him his hair looked awful.Dissing someone isn’t a nice thing to do. It means you’re showing them disrespect by insulting them. A dis can be something hurtful you say or something hurtful you do, like crossing the street when you bump into a former friend.Example: You’re always dissing that guy, but he isn’t that bad.

Etymology

Origin of dis¹

< Old Norse dīs, plural dīsir; origin uncertain

Origin of dis²

1980–85, from dis- ¹ extracted from such words as disrespect and disparage

Origin of dis-⁵

< Latin (akin to bis, Greek dís twice); before f, dif-; before some consonants, di-; often replacing obsolete des- < Old French

Example Sentences

That is not a compliment, but it’s not exactly a dis.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2024

"I guess I jest gwyne set dese old bones down on dis heah porch and watch out for dat noise 'gin" says Jim.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2024

I’ve heard every dis of Maria imaginable since falling in love with her.

From Salon • Nov. 12, 2023

On the savage new dis track, numerically titled “Bzrp Music Sessions #53,” Shakira slams her ex-partner, retired Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2023

He murmured, “Dis be good, dis be good.”

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

Related Words

• belittle
• decry
• defame
• degrade
• denigrate
• deride
• discredit
• dismiss
• malign
• ridicule
• scorn
• slander
• underrate
• vilify