Di Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Etymology

Examples

di 1 American [dee] / di / Or Di

preposition

1. from; of: used in Italian personal names, originally to indicate place of origin.

   Conte di Savòia.

di 2 American [dee] / di /

noun

Music.

1. a tone in the ascending chromatic scale between do and re.

Di 3 American [dahy] / daɪ /

noun

1. a female given name, form of Diana.

Di 4 American Symbol, Chemistry.

1. didymium.

DI 5 American

1. Department of the Interior.

2. drill instructor.

di- 6 American

1. a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “two,” “twice,” “double” (diphthong ); on this model, freely used in the formation of compound words (dicotyledon; dipolar ) and in chemical terms (diatomic; disulfide ).

di- 7 American

1. variant of dis- before b, d, l, m, n, r, s, v, and sometimes g and j: digest; divide.

di- 8 American

1. variant of dia- before a vowel.

   diorama.

di. 9 American Or dia

abbreviation

1. diameter.

di- 1 British

combining form

1. variant of dia-

   diopter

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Di 2 British

symbol

1. didymium

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 di- 3 British

prefix

1. twice; two; double

   dicotyledon

2. 1. containing two specified atoms or groups of atoms

      dimethyl ether

      carbon dioxide

   2. a nontechnical equivalent of bi- 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 DI 4 British

abbreviation

1. Defence Intelligence

2. Detective Inspector

3. Donor Insemination

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 di– Scientific

1. A prefix that means “two,” “twice,” or “double.” It is used commonly in chemistry, as in dioxide, a compound having two oxygen atoms.

Etymology

Origin of di1

< Italian < Latin dē

Origin of di2

Perhaps alteration of do 2

Origin of di-6

Middle English ≪ Latin < Greek, combining form representing dís twice, double, akin to dýo two. See bi- 1, twi-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The daughter she had with Di Caprio’s character signs up for that ideology at the end of the movie, as Tom Petty’s “American Girl” and Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” play over the credits.

From Los Angeles Times

The stunned Italians launched a second-half response with tries from replacements Tommaso di Bartolomeo and Tommaso Allan and fly-half Paolo Garbisi.

From BBC

Even as injuries, suspensions and Di Canio falling out with boss Glenn Roeder saw them trickle surprisingly into the drop zone, the consensus was this side were too good to go down.

From BBC

“The geopolitical backdrop continues to provide some support for the gold market,” XS.com’s Antonio Di Giacomo says in an email.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The gold market is currently facing opposing forces,” XS.com’s Antonio Di Giacomo says in an email.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.