Etymologically
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dissatisfaction

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 31 October 2026 at 22:51. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • /dɪsˌsætɪsˈfækʃən/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English dis- + satisfaction.[2][3][4][5][6] Satisfaction is from Old French satisfaction, from Latin satisfactiō (“a satisfying of a creditor”), from satisfaciō (“to discharge fully, make amends”), literally "to do enough",[3] from satis (“enough”) and faciō (“to make, do”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The condition of being dissatisfied, discontent: Merriam-Webster dates it to about 1610;[5] the OED's first quotation is from 1640, in Rushworth's Historical Collections,[2] and Etymonline dates it to the 1630s.[3]

Semantic evolution

Soon after, from about 1640, it was also used in the plural for particular feelings or expressions of discontent,[2][4] and after 1702 for a cause of discontent.[2] Johnson (1755) defined it as "the state of being dissatisfied; discontent; want of something to compleat the wish", and the OED quotes his definition.[7][2] Satisfaction itself first meant the penance done for sin, and its sense of contentment was not common before the 16th century.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1610 – discontent, the state of being dissatisfied.[5] The OED's first quotation is from 1640.[2]
  • c. 1640 – plural, feelings or expressions of discontent.[2]
  • 1702 – a cause of discontent.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The state of not being satisfied; discontent or disappointment: Voters expressed growing dissatisfaction with the council.[8][5][6]
  2. A particular feeling or cause of discontent: She listed her dissatisfactions with the new rota.[6][2]

Word family

  • self-dissatisfaction

Usage notes

Dictionary.com distinguishes three near-synonyms: dissatisfaction comes from considering something that falls short of one's wishes or expectations.[6] Discontent is a more general, lasting sense of unease about one's circumstances.[6] Displeasure adds a degree of anger.[6]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d e f Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
  7. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
  8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins