disprove

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪsˈpruv/ UK /dɪsˈpruːv/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to prove to be false or incorrect

A single counterexample was enough to disprove the theory.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to prove to be false or... refute rebut invalidate confute discredit contradict

Opposites

prove confirm verify substantiate corroborate

Word family

Derived forms disprovabledisproveddisprovendisproval

Related forms prove proof disproof

Etymology

From Middle English disproven, from Old French desprover, from des- ('reversal') + prover ('to prove'), from Latin probare ('to test, prove'), from probus ('good, upright').

desprover Old French probare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# disprove

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪsˈpruv/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪsˈpruːv/

## Meanings
1. to prove to be false or incorrect

## Examples
- A single counterexample was enough to disprove the theory.

## Synonyms
- refute
- rebut
- invalidate
- confute
- discredit
- contradict

## Antonyms
- prove
- confirm
- verify
- substantiate
- corroborate

## Derived Forms
- disprovable
- disproved
- disproven
- disproval

## Related Forms
- prove
- proof
- disproof

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: desprover
- Root: probare

## Etymology
From Middle English disproven, from Old French desprover, from des- ('reversal') + prover ('to prove'), from Latin probare ('to test, prove'), from probus ('good, upright').

## AI Etymology
Disprove is from Middle English disproven, from Old French desprover, from des- ('reversal') + prover ('to prove'), from Latin probare ('to test, prove'), from probus ('good, upright'). Important recorded forms include desprover (Old French) and probare (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to prove to be false or incorrect. The wider family includes derived forms such as disprovable, disproved, disproven, and disproval and related words such as prove, proof, and disproof.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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