Not connected or joined; lacking coherent relationship between parts. Can refer to physical separation or abstract lack of continuity.
From dis- (Latin prefix meaning 'apart') plus connected (from Latin connexus 'joined together'). The prefix dis- reverses the meaning of the root word. The term gained new significance with telecommunications and later digital technology, where connection became a crucial concept.
In our hyper-connected digital age, 'disconnected' has evolved from primarily describing physical separations to representing a form of social alienation or technological failure. The word now carries emotional weight it never had in pre-digital times, reflecting how fundamental connectivity has become to human experience.
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