desuetude

UK: dɪˈsjuːɪtjuːd | US: dɪˈsuːɪtuːd

Definition

  1. n. A state of disuse or inactivity.

Structure
de <away>suet <custom>ude <noun suffix>
Etymology

desuetude = de<away> + suet<custom> + ude<noun suffix>

  • de: Latin prefix meaning "away" or "from," indicating reversal or removal.
  • suet: Derived from Latin suēscere (to become accustomed), related to suētus (customary).
  • ude: Noun-forming suffix, often abstract (e.g., "solitude").

Etymology Origin:
From Latin dēsuētūdō ("disuse"), combining dē- (away) + suētus (custom). The word entered English in the 15th century, originally legal jargon for laws or practices falling into obsolescence. The morphemes reflect a literal "stepping away from custom," preserving the Latin structure.

Examples

  1. The old tradition fell into desuetude after modernization.

  2. Legal scholars debated whether the statute had reached desuetude.

  3. The machinery lay in desuetude, covered in dust.

  4. Linguistic archaisms often survive long after their active use fades into desuetude.

  5. Reviving customs from desuetude requires cultural effort.