dishevel
UK: dɪˈʃɛv(ə)l | US: dɪˈʃɛv(ə)l
vt. to make (hair, clothing, or appearance) untidy or disordered
adj. (archaic) disheveled – in a state of untidiness
dishevel = dis<apart> + hevel<tangle>
- dis<apart>: A Latin prefix meaning "apart," "away," or "negation."
- hevel<tangle>: Derived from Old French chevel (hair), from Latin capillus (hair), but evolved to imply disorder.
Etymology Origin:
The word dishevel originated in Middle English from Old French descheveler, combining dis- (apart) and chevel (hair). It originally described hair being let down or loosened, later extending to general untidiness. The morpheme hevel retains its link to hair, though modern usage broadened to any disordered state.
The wind disheveled her carefully styled hair.
He arrived late, his clothes disheveled from rushing.
The toddler disheveled the neatly stacked papers.
Her disheveled appearance suggested she had just woken up.
The storm disheveled the garden, scattering leaves everywhere.