To reject or deny a relationship with someone, especially a family member; to refuse to acknowledge ownership or responsibility for something.
From prefix 'dis-' (to reverse/negate) + 'own' (to possess); the prefix comes from Latin, while 'own' is from Old English, creating a Germanic-Romance hybrid word.
Historically, disowning was a devastating social punishment—in Jewish tradition it's called 'sitting shiva,' in some cultures it meant complete erasure from family records, making you a social ghost with no inheritance or support.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.