discouragement

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /dɪˈskɝɪdʒmənt/ UK /dɪˈskʌrɪdʒmənt/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness

Repeated rejection led to deep discouragement.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a loss of confidence or... dispiritednessdejection despondency demoralizationdisheartenmentdismaydeterrence

Opposites

encouragement heartening inspiration motivation reassurance

Word family

Related forms discourage courage courageous encourage

Etymology

From discourage + -ment, from Old French descouragier, from des- ('away') + corage ('courage'), from Latin cor ('heart').

corage Middle English cor Latin *ḱerd- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

# discouragement

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** dɪˈskɝɪdʒmənt
**IPA (UK):** dɪˈskʌrɪdʒmənt

## Meanings
1. a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness

## Examples
- Repeated rejection led to deep discouragement.

## Synonyms
- dispiritedness
- dejection
- despondency
- demoralization
- disheartenment
- dismay
- deterrence

## Antonyms
- encouragement
- heartening
- inspiration
- motivation
- reassurance

## Related Forms
- discourage
- courage
- courageous
- encourage

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: corage
- Root: cor
- Root: *ḱerd-

## Etymology
From discourage + -ment, from Old French descouragier, from des- ('away') + corage ('courage'), from Latin cor ('heart').

## AI Etymology
Discouragement is from discourage + -ment, from Old French descouragier, from des- ('away') + corage ('courage'), from Latin cor ('heart'). The ancestry passes through Old French corage, Latin cor, and Proto-Indo-European *ḱerd-. In present use as a noun, it means "a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include discourage, courage, courageous, and encourage. Its contrast set includes encouragement, heartening, inspiration, and motivation, which clarifies the semantic boundary of the modern word.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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discouragement

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