disposal (n.)

1620s, "power to make use of, right to dispose of or control;" see dispose + -al (2). Meaning "a disposing" (of a daughter by marriage, of money by a will, of an estate by sale, etc.) is from 1650s; of waste material, from c. 1960, originally in medical use.

Entries linking to disposal

dispose (v.)

late 14c., disposen, "set in order, place in a particular order; give direction or tendency to; incline the mind or heart of," from Old French disposer (13c.) "arrange, order, control, regulate" (influenced in form by poser "to place"), from Latin disponere "put in order, arrange, distribute," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + ponere "to put, place" (past participle positus; see position (n.)). Related: Disposed; disposing.

-al (2)

suffix forming nouns of action from verbs, mostly from Latin and French, meaning "act of ______ing" (such as survival, referral), Middle English -aille, from French feminine singular -aille, from Latin -alia, neuter plural of adjective suffix -alis, also used in English as a noun suffix. Nativized in English and used with Germanic verbs (as in bestowal, betrothal).

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updated on August 31, 2018

Definitions of disposal from WordNet

disposal (n.)

the power to use something or someone;

used all the resources at his disposal

disposal (n.)

a method of tending to or managing the affairs of a some group of people (especially the group's business affairs);

Synonyms: administration

disposal (n.)

the act or means of getting rid of something;

Synonyms: disposition

disposal (n.)

a kitchen appliance for disposing of garbage;

Synonyms: electric pig / garbage disposal

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near disposal

display

displease

displeasure

disport

disposable

disposal

dispose

disposed

disposition

dispossess

dispossession