disservice
/dɪˈsɜːvəs/dih-SUR-vuhs
/dɪˈsɝvəs/dih-SUR-vuhs
Meaningthe opposite of a service
Common meaning: a harmful act, often not meant
- disapart, away; not
- servserve as a slave; a slaveLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1682 · scan
- icenoun ending: quality or act
‘apart, away’ + ‘serve as a slave’ → disservice
Journey through time
- Frenchdesservice‘ill service’source
- Englishdisservice‘a harmful act, often not meant’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin serviō; servus ‘serve as a slave’.
Roots
- serviō; servus Latin “serve as a slave; a slave”
Related words
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