Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To scatter; disperse.
  • To be scattered; be dispersed.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French disparpelier, disparpillier et al., apparently from a late prefixed form of Latin papilio ("butterfly").

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Examples

  • The Century Dictionary - a fantastic multivolume dictionary from the early 1900s - introduced me to culicide (the act of killing mosquitoes), adelopod (an animal whose feet are inconspicuous or not apparent), disparple

    Boston.com Most Popular 2010

Comments

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  • Her wav'ring hair disparpling flew apart,

    In seemly shed; the rest with reckless art

    With many a curling ring decor'd her face.

    May 16, 2011