First published 1896; not yet revised More entries for "dispiriting"

dispiritingadjective

Etymology
Meaning & use
Pronunciation
Frequency
Compounds & derived words

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Factsheet

What does the adjective dispiriting mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the adjective dispiriting. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

See meaning & use

How common is the adjective dispiriting?

About 0.05occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750	0.085
1760	0.085
1770	0.081
1780	0.079
1790	0.083
1800	0.081
1810	0.08
1820	0.079
1830	0.079
1840	0.08
1850	0.081
1860	0.083
1870	0.078
1880	0.073
1890	0.068
1900	0.062
1910	0.057
1920	0.051
1930	0.046
1940	0.043
1950	0.042
1960	0.044
1970	0.047
1980	0.052
1990	0.054
2000	0.056
2010	0.06

See frequency

How is the adjective dispiriting pronounced?

British English

/dᵻˈspɪrᵻtɪŋ/

duh-SPIRR-uh-ting

U.S. English

/dəˈspɪrᵻdɪŋ/

duh-SPEER-uh-ding

See pronunciation

Where does the adjective dispiriting come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1700s

The earliest known use of the adjective dispiriting is in the mid 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for dispiriting is from 1733, in the writing of George Cheyne, physician.

dispiriting is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: dispirit v., ‑ing suffix2.

See etymology

Nearby entries

dispester, v.1600
dispetal, v.1863–
disphenoid, n.1895–
dispicience, n.1531–32
dispicion, n.?1510–53
dispiece, v.1477–
dispill, v.1522
dispireme, n.1890–
dispirit, v.1642–
dispirited, adj.1647–
dispiriting, adj.1733–
dispiritment, n.1827–
dispirituality, n.1684
dispiritude, n.1797–1814
dispiteous, adj.1803–
displace, v.1552–
displaceable, adj.1677–
displaced, adj.1571–
displacement, n.1611–
displacement pump, n.1924–
displacence, n.c1450–1682

Browse more nearby entries

Etymology

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Entry history for dispiriting, adj.

dispiriting, adj. was first published in 1896; not yet revised.

dispiriting, adj. was last modified in February 2024.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into dispiriting, adj. in February 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1896)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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View dispiriting, ppl. a. in OED Second Edition

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Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .

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Citation details

Factsheet for dispiriting, adj.

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Nearby entries

dispester, v.1600
dispetal, v.1863–
disphenoid, n.1895–
dispicience, n.1531–32
dispicion, n.?1510–53
dispiece, v.1477–
dispill, v.1522
dispireme, n.1890–
dispirit, v.1642–
dispirited, adj.1647–
dispiriting, adj.1733–
dispiritment, n.1827–
dispirituality, n.1684
dispiritude, n.1797–1814
dispiteous, adj.1803–
displace, v.1552–
displaceable, adj.1677–
displaced, adj.1571–
displacement, n.1611–
displacement pump, n.1924–
displacence, n.c1450–1682

Browse more nearby entries