disinterested
[ dis-in-tuh-res-tid, -tri-stid ]
/ dɪsˈɪn təˌrɛs tɪd, -trɪ stɪd /
adjective
unbiased by personal interest or advantage; not influenced by selfish motives: a disinterested decision by the referee.
not interested; indifferent.
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Disinterested vs. UninterestedIf a new movie stars an actor you can’t stand, are you disinterested or uninterested in paying to go see it on opening night? These two words are often used interchangeably, but not by grammarians in the know. Do know the difference between disinterested and uninterested? Disinterested has two meanings. The first and most widely accepted one is “impartial; unbiased by personal interest or advantage” …
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Nearby words
Origin of disinterested
SYNONYMS FOR disinterested
Related formsdis·in·ter·est·ed·ly, adverbdis·in·ter·est·ed·ness, nounnon·dis·in·ter·est·ed, adjective
Can be confuseddisinterested uninterested (see usage note at the current entry)
Usage note
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for disinterestedness
British Dictionary definitions for disinterestedness
disinterested
/ (dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd, -tərɪs-) /
adjective
free from bias or partiality; objective
not interested
Derived Formsdisinterestedly, adverbdisinterestedness, noun
usage
Many people consider that the use of disinterested to mean not interested is incorrect and that uninterested should be used
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for disinterestedness
disinterested
1610s, "unconcerned," the sense we now would ascribe to uninterested, with the sense of "impartial" going to disinteressed (c.1600). See dis- + interest. Modern sense of disinterested is first attested 1650s. As things now stand, disinterested means "free from personal bias," while uninterested means "caring nothing for the matter in question." Related: Disinterestedly; disinterestedness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper