Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

disfigure

/dɪsˈfɪɡjɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.13 in modern English

Syllables: dis-fig-ure
IPA: /dɪsˈfɪɡjɚ/

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

to irreversibly damage the shape or structure of something, negatively affecting its appearance or functionality without completely destroying it.

Example Sentences

"His face was disfigured by a terrible fire many years ago, leaving deep scars across his crooked nose."
"The North British Railway was always anxious to connect its line to Helensburgh Pier but the local residents would not permit their foreshore or promenade to be disfigured, so the company had to resort further east and on May 18, 1882, opened the railway pier and station at Craigendoran."

Etymology

From Middle English disfiguren, from Anglo-Norman desfigurer.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: disfiguren, desfigurer

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /dɪsˈfɪɡjɚ/
British English: /dɪsˈfɪɡə/

Inflected Forms

disfigures (present, singular) disfiguring (participle, present) disfigured (participle, past) disfigured (past)

Derived Forms

disfiguration disfigurative disfigurement disfigurer disfiguringly

Synonyms

leper disfeature deface blemish

Rhymes With

figure configure reconfigure

Questions

How do you pronounce disfigure?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪsˈfɪɡjɚ/.
What does disfigure mean?: to irreversibly damage the shape or structure of something, negatively affecting its appearance or functionality without completely destroying it.
Where does disfigure come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce disfigure

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “disfigure”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/dɪsˈfɪɡjɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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