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disorientate. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
disorientate, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
disorientate in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
disorientate you have here. The definition of the word
disorientate will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
disorientate, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From dis- + orientate.[1] Not a back-formation from disorientation, which is attested much later and is perhaps from disorientate.[2]
Verb
disorientate (third-person singular simple present disorientates, present participle disorientating, simple past and past participle disorientated)
- (sometimes proscribed, chiefly British) Alternative form of disorient
1941, Frederic William Eggleston, Search for a Social Philosophy, page 254:Ideas often disorientate a system which has been formed on a particular pattern and make it inapplicable; so ideas may lead to the readjustment of groups and sometimes of political boundaries.
Derived terms
Translations
to cause to lose orientation or direction
— see disorient
References
- “orient, orientate, disorient”, in Writing Tips Plus (Canada.ca), Ottawa, Ont.: Government of Canada, 2020 February 28: “The verbs orient and orientate are both acceptable, with orient being more common in North America. […] The antonym for both verbs is disorient; disorientate is non–standard English.”
- Paul Brians (2009) “orientate”, in Common Errors in English Usage, 2nd edition, Wilsonville, Or.: William, James & Company, →ISBN: “Although it is standard in British English ‘orientate’ is widely considered an error in the US, with simple ‘orient’ being preferred. The same pattern applies to ‘disorientate’ vs. ‘disorient.’”
Italian
Etymology 1
Verb
disorientate
- inflection of disorientare:
- second-person plural present indicative
- second-person plural imperative
Etymology 2
Participle
disorientate f pl
- feminine plural of disorientato