- pronunciation:
- dihs
ruhpt
- features:
- Word History, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
disrupts, disrupting, disrupted |
| definition 1: |
If something disrupts a thing that is happening, it causes things to go wrong during that thing and makes people upset and confused.
A small fire in the building disrupted the concert in the auditorium. |
| definition 2: |
If something disrupts something like a meeting, it suddenly interrupts it in a way that is not pleasant or convenient. It causes it to stop for a while.
The storm disrupted our electrical service. |
| related words: |
break, distract |
| derivation: |
disrupter (disruptor) (n.) |
Disrupt comes from
disruptus, a Latin word that means "break apart or split." In Latin, there is a root (or word part),
rupt, which means "break." The English words
erupt, which means "to break out or burst," and
rupture, which means "to break open," also contain this root.