Word of the Day - 08/16/26
dissemble
/dɪ'sɛmbəl/(v.): hide under a false appearance
He managed to dissemble his true feelings behind a calm demeanor.
Word Origin
The word 'dissemble' originates from the Old French 'dessembler', meaning 'to differ from, be unlike, disguise'. This word is composed of 'des-' (a prefix indicating reversal or negation, akin to 'dis-' in English) and 'sembler' (to seem, appear, or resemble). 'Sembler' itself derives from the Latin 'simulare' (to imitate, feign, pretend), which comes from 'similis' (like, similar). Thus, 'dissemble' fundamentally means to put on a false appearance or to conceal one's true motives, making something seem unlike what it is.
Words with similar origins include 'resemble' (from Old French 'resembler', meaning to look like again, from 're-' + 'sembler'), 'simulate' (directly from Latin 'simulare'), 'similar' (from Latin 'similis'), and 'semblance' (from Old French 'semblance', meaning appearance or likeness, from 'sembler'). All these words share the Latin root 'similis' or its derivatives, relating to likeness or appearance.
As a reminder, here are all of the words from this week:
trite demure quale
dissemble
See if you can remember all of this week's words! Here is a sentence that includes all seven, followed by a version that simplifies them to help you remember:
The indefatigable professor, despite his usually demure demeanor, launched into a ribald lecture on the quale of chalk squeaking on a blackboard, only to dissemble his surprise when the class erupted in laughter at his trite joke—a delightful aberration from his usual dignity.The tireless professor, despite his usually reserved manner, launched into a cheeky lecture on the sensation of chalk squeaking on a blackboard, only to pretend he was surprised when the class erupted in laughter at his ordinary joke—a delightful departure from his usual dignity.