disinterested
/dɪsˈɪnt(ə)ɹəstəd/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.91 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
5
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Having no interest or stake in the outcome, and no conflicts of interest; free of bias, impartial.
adj
Synonym of uninterested (“not interested; not concerned; indifferent”).
verb
Example Sentences
- "[W]e ought to try our compoſures this vvay; by vvhich the ſoul, receiving them more remotely, conveyed to the ear by the voice, and from this returned to her, as it vvere, from abroad, and that onely in a tranſient ſound, ſits novv as the moſt diſintereſted Arbiter, and impartial judge of her ovvn vvorks, that ſhe can be."
- "[E]very one pretended to Right and Liberty, and to publick Good, and made loud Noiſes of their unbiaſs'd Juſtice, diſintereſted Actings, and vaſt Moderation, and yet vvere all fighting and ſnarling for Dominion over one another."
- "Sir, you have a right to that kind of respect, and are arguing for yourself. I am for ſupporting the principle, and am diſintereſted in doing it, as I have no ſuch right."
- ""I don't mind going if a lunch is provided," observed the gentleman with the excrescence on his nose. "But I must be fed, if I make one." Another laugh. "Well, I am the most disinterested among you, after all," said the first speaker, "for I never wear black gloves, and I never eat lunch. But I'll offer to go, if anybody else will.[…]""
- "This was a case for disinterested benevolence; no pay was expected, but considerable risk incurred; yet we could not decline it, […]"
- "With his disinterested passion for art, he had a real desire to call the attention of the wise to a talent which was in the highest degree original; but he was too good a journalist to be unaware that the "human interest" would enable him more easily to effect his purpose."
Etymology
From disinterest (“to cause to be impartial”, verb) + -ed (suffix forming past tense or past participle forms of verbs), or from dis- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + interested (“having a stake in; showing interest”, adjective).
Word Breakdown
- Prefix: disinterest, dis-
- Root: *h₁es-
- Suffix: -ed, interested
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /dɪsˈɪnt(ə)ɹəstəd/
- British English: /(ˌ)dɪsˈɪntɹɪstɪd/
Inflected Forms
more disinterested (comparative)
most disinterested (superlative)