desuetude
/ˈdɛswəˌt(j)ud/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.15 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The state when something (for example, a custom or a law) is no longer observed nor practised; disuse, obsolescence.
Formal; Uncountable
noun
The state when something (for example, a custom or a law) is no longer observed nor practised; disuse, obsolescence.
Countable; Formal
noun
Chiefly followed by from or of: a cessation of practising or using something.
Countable; Formal; Obsolete
Example Sentences
- "And they being in a capacity to forget by reaſon of deſuetude, it will be a nevv pleaſure to them to recall to minde their almoſt obliterate ſpeculations."
- "For whatſoever is derived from the law of God cannot by men admit variety, nor ſuffer diminution, or goe into deſuetude, or be extinguiſh'd by abrogation: […]"
- "We ſee in all things how deſuetude do's contract and narrow our faculties, ſo that we may apprehend only thoſe things wherein we are converſant."
- "Yet ſome of the Privileges [of soldiers] I have mentioned, can certainly take no Place at this Day in any European Nation; ſince they wholly depend upon ſome Roman Conſtitutions and Cuſtoms, that are now every where gone into Deſuetude."
- "There is no doubt that, by the law of Scotland, an act of parliament may be repealed by deſuetude, or by contrary uſage; but as this is founded on an idea of general aſſent, it is evident that the deſuetude which is to operate as a repeal of a general regulation, muſt itſelf be general; […]"
- "[W]e of the house of Ravenswood do our endeavour in keeping up, by all just and lawful exertion of our baronial authority, that due and fitting connexion betwixt superior and vassal, whilk is in some danger of falling into desuetude, owing to the general license and misrule of these present unhappy times."
Etymology
From Late Middle English desuetude, dissuetude (“discontinuance of a practice, disuse”), from Middle French désuétude (“obsolescence”) (modern French désuétude), from Latin dēsuētūdo (“discontinuance of a practice or a habit, disuse”), from dēsuētus + -tūdō (“suffix forming abstract nouns indicating conditions or states”). Dēsuētus is the perfect passive participle of dēsuēscō (“to make unaccustomed”), from de- (prefix having a reversing or undoing effect) + suēscō (“to become accustomed or used to; (Late Latin) to accustom, habituate, train”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swé (“self”) + *dʰeh₁- (“to do; to place, put”), in the sense “to set as one’s own”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *dʰeh₁-, desuetude, désuétude, dēsuētūdo, *swé
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈdɛswəˌt(j)ud/
- British English: /ˈdɛswɪtjuːd/