disappear English · revision 7898

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1420}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪsəˈpɪə/ ''(UK)''; /dɪsəˈpɪɹ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|dis-|appear]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) on the pattern of French [[m|fr|disparaître]].^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To cease to be visible: before 1420, in Lydgate's ''Troy Book'';^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century in Etymonline, and 1530 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Earlier words were disparish (early 15th century), from the stem of French desapparoistre, and unappear (mid-15th century).^(Etymonline) To cease to be present, pass away, is from 1665.^(OED 1989) The transitive sense, to cause to disappear, is attested from 1897 in chemistry,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and of inconvenient people by 1948.^(Etymonline) Word Origins notes that the late-20th-century use of a person being ''disappeared'', abducted and secretly killed or detained for political reasons, came from Latin America, especially Argentina.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Collins 2023) ''Disappearance'' is 18th-century,^(Hoad 1986) and the slang ''disappearing act'', absconding, is attested by 1884, probably from magic shows.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1420 – to vanish.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1665 – to pass away.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1884 – disappearing act.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1897 – to cause to disappear.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 20th century – to be disappeared.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pass out of sight; to [[vanish]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To go away or become lost, especially without explanation.^(Collins 2023)

+ # To cease to exist.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To arrest or abduct secretly and presumably kill a political opponent.^(Collins 2023)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[disappearance]]

+ * [[nondisappearing]]

+ * [[undisappearing]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[appear]]

+ * [[apparent]]

+ * [[vanish]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}