disinterested

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1. The use of disinterested to mean 'uninterested', although not a problem to Fowler (1926), is a keyword in current debates about correct usage. Those who rage most furiously are not always aware, however, that the word has changed its principal meaning several times during the nearly four centuries of its existence. It began by meaning 'not interested', then about 1650 developed the meaning 'impartial, unbiased', and has more recently tended to revert to its older meaning. These meanings reflect the different meanings of interest, as differently used in They showed no interest in the idea and They have an interest in the business.

2. The alternative word uninterested has had an opposite history, originally meaning 'impartial' and later meaning 'not interested', although it shows no sign of returning to its earlier meaning. The problem then lies with disinterested. Informed opinion is divided into those who believe that a useful distinction, between disinterested = impartial and uninterested = not interested, is being eroded, and those who are content to let disinterested serve as a synonym of uninterested as long as other words are available for the other meaning (impartial, neutral, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced).

3. The following examples of disinterested show the strong presence of both meanings in current usage: (= impartial)

Many competent and disinterested experts on world poverty often stress the sterility of the East–West confrontation—Encounter, 1981

She could imagine the coroner's disinterested voice—J. Bedford, 1984

But of course none of the observers of twelfth-century England was disinterested—Antonia Fraser, 1988

The doctor ran her hands round again, with the same disinterested precision—Sara Maitland, 1990

American foreign policy has rarely been disinterestedly philanthropic—Scotland on Sunday, 2002

(= not interested: note that in this meaning disinterested is often followed by in, on the analogy of uninterested) Washington ensured that he would appear to be what in fact he was, a republican gentleman disinterested in power—Times Literary Supplement, 1988

She remains stubbornly neat and unadorned, disinterested in fashion—S. Johnson, 1990 (Australia)

Those disinterested in oriental delicacies lounge on sofas, drinking glasses of potent Leffe beer—Sunday Herald (Glasgow), 1999.

4. The recommendation must be to restrict disinterested to the meaning 'impartial' and to use alternative words when necessary to avoid possible misunderstanding. Uninterested remains the standard and recommended form in the meaning 'lacking interest':

I wouldn't say that—he was totally uninterested in both of us—Graham Greene, 1980

He gave...a certain impression of being uninterested in people except at an agreeably superficial level—D. Fraser, 1982

To viewers who are uninterested in politics, it was worse than the World Cup—Observer, 1990.

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adjective

1. Free from bias in judgment: dispassionate, equitable, fair, fair-minded, impartial, indifferent, just, nonpartisan, objective, square, unbiased, unprejudiced. Idioms: fair and square. See fair/unfair.
2. Feeling or showing no strong emotional involvement: detached, dispassionate, impersonal, indifferent, neutral. See feelings.
3. Lacking interest in one's surroundings or worldly affairs: aloof, detached, incurious, indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested, uninvolved. See attitude/good attitude/bad attitude/neutral attitude, concern/unconcern.

adj

Definition: detached, uninvolved
Antonyms: biased, concerned, interested, involved, passionate, prejudiced

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

Free from bias, prejudice, or partiality.

A disinterested witness is one who has no interest in the case at bar, or matter in issue, and is legally competent to give testimony.

IN BRIEF: Unengaged. Also: To have no benefit from the outcome.

A disinterested jury was picked to hear the case.

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For a list of words related to disinterested, see:

• Inert, Lazy, Tired, or Insensate
• Wise, Mature, or Experienced

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  See crossword solutions for the clue Disinterested.

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - neutral, upartisk, ligeglad

Nederlands (Dutch)
belangeloos, ongeïnteresseerd, onverschillig

Français (French)
adj. - indifférent, désintéressé

Deutsch (German)
adj. - uneigennützig, selbstlos, unvoreingenommen, desinteressiert

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - αδιάφορος, που δεν έχει ή δεν δείχνει ενδιαφέρον, ανιδιοτελής, αφιλοκερδής

Italiano (Italian)
disinteressato

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - desinteressado

Русский (Russian)
беспристрастный, безразличный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - desinteresado

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - osjälvisk, opartisk, ointresserad

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
无私欲的, 公平的, 廉洁的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 無私欲的, 公平的, 廉潔的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 편견 없는 , 관심 없는 , 이해 관계 없는

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 私心のない, 興味のない, 無関心な, 公平な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) لا مبالي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮אדיש, לא משוחד‬

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