Dispiritment

/dɪˈspɪrɪtmənt/ noun

Definition

The act of making someone lose hope or enthusiasm, or the state of being discouraged.

Etymology

Formed from dispirit + -ment (a suffix creating nouns from verbs). The -ment suffix comes from Old French and Latin, used in English since the 1300s to denote action or result.

Kelly Says

The -ment suffix feels more formal and older than -ness—compare 'dispiritment' with 'dispiritedness.' This difference in suffix age and style is one reason English has so many near-synonyms for the same feeling.

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