Prefix · negation / opposition
Negates or reverses meaning: disagree, disconnect, disappear, dishonest.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Dis- comes from Latin dis- (apart, in a different direction). With verbs it often implies active opposition: disagree, disapprove, dislike. It also signals undoing or separating: disconnect, disassemble, disappear. With adjectives and nouns it negates the quality: dishonest, disorganized, discomfort.
All three are negative prefixes with different tendencies. Dis- is common with Latin or French-origin words and suggests active opposition or separation: disagree, disapprove, disconnect. Un- is most common with Anglo-Saxon roots and is more neutral: unhappy, undo. In- also goes with Latin words but signals a more inherent absence: incorrect, invisible. Many words only accept one of these three, so a dictionary check is always the safest step.
Attach directly in front of verbs, adjectives, and nouns:
No spelling change to the root. Pronunciation is always /dɪs/, with a short "i" as in "this." Dis- does not combine freely with every verb: "disgo" is not a word.
dis-/dɪs/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
"Disrespect" is a noun (lack of respect) or a verb (to treat without respect). The adjective is "disrespectful."
You cannot create "disgo" or "dislive." Check that the result is a real English word before using it.
A trick to remember it
Think of dis- as "apart" or "in the opposite direction": disagree = go in the opposite direction from agreement; disconnect = separate the connection; disappear = go away from sight. That core idea of separation or reversal is always at the heart of the meaning.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is the main difference between dis- and un- as negative prefixes?
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
"Her parents ___ of her decision to drop out of university and travel abroad."
The prefix dis- negates or reverses meaning: disagree, disconnect, disappear, dishonest. In Spanish it usually maps to des- / in-.
The prefix dis- is pronounced /dɪs/. For example, "disagree".
"agree" becomes "disagree". It is a typical example of the dis- prefix.
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.