disunity

/dɪˈjuːnɪti/
lack of unity

The political party suffered from internal disunity during the election campaign.

The party was divided, which weakened their campaign efforts.


formal

a state of being divided or lacking harmony within a group or organization

The disunity among team members led to poor performance in the project.

The team's divided opinions and lack of cooperation resulted in failure.

Religious disunity has been a challenge for centuries.

Different religious groups have struggled to coexist peacefully.

Often used in political, social, or organizational contexts to describe conflict or division.

Collocations

political disunitydivision within a political party or systemreligious disunityconflict or lack of agreement among religious groupsinternal disunitydivision within an organization or group

Pro Tip

Avoid confusion with 'disunity' vs. 'unity'

Remember that 'disunity' describes a lack of unity, while 'unity' describes harmony or agreement. For example, 'The team's unity led to success' contrasts with 'The team's disunity caused failure.'

Gold Rule

Use 'disunity' for formal contexts

Prefer 'disunity' in academic, political, or organizational writing. In casual speech, 'division' or 'conflict' may be more natural.

Word Origin

From Latin *dis-* (prefix meaning 'apart, not') + *unitas* (meaning 'oneness, unity'). First recorded in English in the mid-16th century.

Usage Notes

Disunity implies a negative or problematic state, often requiring resolution. It is more formal than 'division' and typically refers to groups rather than individuals.

Word Breakdown

dis-
a prefix indicating negation or separation
prefix
+
unity
the state of being united or joined as a whole
root
English Dictionary