indifference

/ˌɪnˈdɪfəəns/in-DIH-fur-uhns

/ˌɪnˈdɪfɚəns/in-DIH-fur-uhns

Meaningnot making a difference

Common meaning: lack of interest or concern

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
difapart (form of dis-)
ferto bear, bringLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 737 · scan
encenoun ending: doing, or the condition that results

‘in, into’ + ‘apart (form of dis-)’ + ‘to bear, bring’ → indifference

Journey through time

Latinferō, tulī, lātum‘to bear, bring’
Englishindifference‘lack of interest or concern’ · today

in- also in: incest incite induce infamy infant

dif- also in: diffuse

fer also in: conifer nontransferable

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 ferō ‘to bear, bring’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry ferō, p. 737 · dictionary scan

Roots

ferō, tulī, lātum Latin “to bear, bring”

Related words

confer conifer differ infer nontransferable offer prefer suffer

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