disinterested
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɪˈsɪnt(ə)ɹɛstɪd/
Forms: form: more disinterested
form: most disinterested
Etymology: Corruption of the adjective disinterest/disinteressed. The sense of lacking interest is likely from dis- + interested.
Senses: examples: text: Sir, you have a right to that kind of respect, and are arguing for yourself. I am supporting the principle, and am disinterested in doing it, as I have no such right.
ref: 1791, James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson:
text: With his disinterested passion for art, he had a real desire to call the attention of the wise to a talent which was in the highest degree original; [...]
ref: 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 1”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:
text: People are better off abjuring violence, if everyone else agrees to do so, and vesting authority in a disinterested third party.
ref: 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin, published 2012, page 220:
text: [P]hilosophers of the time [early 20th century] were primarily concerned with epistemology and the foundations of the sciences; they often spoke as if we were separated from the real world by a screen of "representations" or "sense-data"; they tended to regard our approach to the world as one of disinterested observation.
ref: 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review), London, page R10:
synonyms: word: detached
word: imprejudicate
word: unbiased
word: candid
word: cold
word: clinical
word: detached
word: egal
word: equal
word: equitable
word: evenhanded
word: fairhanded
word: fair-minded
word: disinterested
word: dispassionate
word: impartial
word: imprejudicate
word: indifferent
word: indistinguishing
word: neuter
word: neutral
word: nonaligned
word: nonpartial
word: nonpartisan
word: nonpersonal
word: objective
word: unbiased
word: unbigoted
word: uninterested
word: unpartial
word: unpartisan
word: unprejudiced
word: unprepossessed
antonyms: biased
interested
partisan
prejudiced
glosses: Having no stake or interest in the outcome, and no conflicts of interest; free of bias, impartial.
examples: text: How dis-interested are they in all Worldly matters, since they fling their Wealth and Riches into the Sea.
ref: 1684, Contempl. State of Man I. x:
text: Robin took to wandering again, to intermittent travel from which she came back hours, days later, disinterested.
ref: 1936, Djuna Barnes, Nightwood, Faber & Faber, published 2007, page 43:
text: Those spotted are usually taught so slowly that they grow disinterested and quit.
ref: 1967, Tommy Frazer, The Sun (Baltimore), "A 'Doctor' Of Karate", March 27
synonyms: word: incurious
word: unaroused
word: unconcerned
word: adiaphroistic
word: apathetic
word: apathistical
word: blasé
word: deaf
word: cool
word: shiftless
word: dispassionate
word: dull
word: enervated
word: gallionic
word: halfhearted
word: heartless
word: impassive
word: ineffervescible
word: insouciant
word: indifferent
word: insensible
word: jaded
word: languid
word: languorous
word: Laodicean
word: lethargic
word: listless
word: lackadaisical
word: lotophagous
word: lukewarm
word: mopey
word: nonchalant
word: nonplussed
word: phlegmatic
word: pococurante
word: spiritless
word: supine
word: tepid
word: torpid
word: torpedinous
word: unaroused
word: uncaring
word: unconcerned
word: unenthusiastic
word: unimpressible
word: uninterested
word: unlively
word: unmoved
word: untouched
word: unzealous
word: world-weary
antonyms: curious
fascinated
interested
glosses: Uninterested, lacking interest.
Derived terms: disinterestedly
disinterestedness
nondisinterested
undisinterested