Word of the Day

: November 1, 2009

disavow

verb dis-uh-VOW

What It Means

1 : to deny responsibility for : repudiate

2 : to refuse to acknowledge or accept : disclaim

disavow in Context

The candidate has disavowed any knowledge of the letter -- received by thousands of voters -- in which her opponent was maligned.

Did You Know?

If you trace the etymology of "disavow" back through Middle English to Anglo-French, you'll arrive eventually at the prefix "des-" and the verb "avouer," meaning "to avow." The prefix "des-" in turn derives from the Latin prefix "dis-," meaning "apart." That Latin prefix plays a significant role in many current English words, including "disadvantage," "disappoint," and "disagree." "Avouer" is from Latin "advocare," meaning "to summon," and is also the source of our word "advocate."