Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

desist

/dɪˈsɪst/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.05 in modern English

Syllables
de-sist
IPA
/dɪˈsɪst/
7
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To cease to proceed or act; to stop (often with from).

Formal

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French desister, from Latin dēsistō, from dē- + sistō (whence de-).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

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Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce desist?
The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈsɪst/.
What does desist mean?
To cease to proceed or act; to stop (often with from).
Where does desist come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce desist

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “desist”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/dɪˈsɪst/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “desist”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “desist” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.