disjecta membra

[ dis-jek-tuh mem-bruh ]

plural noun

1. scattered members; disjointed portions or parts: applied to fragments of poetry or fragmentary quotations.

disjecta membra

/ dɪsˈdʒɛktə ˈmɛmbrə /

plural noun

1. scattered fragments, esp parts taken from a writing or writings

Word History and Origins

Origin of disjecta membra¹

< Latin, alteration of disjectī membra poētae limbs of a dismembered poet, a phrase in Horace

Example Sentences

One might almost get together all the disjecta membra and reconstruct the original Polynesian tongue.

From Project Gutenberg

The lumber-room contained among other things the disjecta membra of his old mining life and experience.

From Project Gutenberg

His works are after all only the disjecta membra poetæ; full of hints of a great might-have-been.

From Project Gutenberg

Plainly there was need of effort to rescue the disjecta membra of the antique and Christian heritages.

From Project Gutenberg

They are probably the 'disjecta membra'—a pest on the pedantry of Latin!

From Project Gutenberg