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dis·sent (dĭ-sĕnt)
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intr.v. dis·sent·ed, dis·sent·ing, dis·sents
1. To have or express an opinion different from a prevailing or official position; disagree.
2. Law To reach a conclusion contrary to the majority of the judges deciding a case; render a minority opinion.
n.
1. Difference of opinion or feeling; disagreement.
2. The refusal to conform to the authority or doctrine of an established church; nonconformity.
3. Law A judicial opinion reaching a conclusion contrary to that reached by the majority of judges deciding a case; a minority opinion. Also called dissenting opinion.

[Middle English dissenten, from Latin dissentīre : dis-, dis- + sentīre, to feel; see sent- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

dis·senting·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.