Wordwyrt

dissolve

/dɪˈzɒlv/dih-ZOLV
/dɪˈzɑlv/dih-ZAHLV

Meaningto loosen apart

Common meaning: to mix into a liquid until it disappears

‘apart, away’ + ‘to loosen, untie’ → dissolve

Journey through time

  1. Latinsolvō, solvī, solūtum‘to loosen, untie’
  2. Englishdissolve‘to mix into a liquid until it disappears’ · today

dis- also in: disarmdiscerndiscorddisdaindisgust

solv also in: irresolution

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin solvō ‘to loosen, untie’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry solvō, p. 1725 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

irresolution

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app