.-a prefix from the latin, whence f. des, or sometimes de-, dis-. the latin dis-appears as di-before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, v, becomes dif-before f, and either dis-or di- before j. it is from the same root as bis twice, and duo, e. two. see two, and cf. bi-, di-, dia-. dis-denotes separation, a parting from, as in distribute, disconnect; hence it often has the force of a privative and negative, as in disarm, disoblige, disagree. also intensive, as in dissever.-a prefix from gr. di`s- twice. see di-.