Definition of DISMEMBER

dismember

Verb

  • separate the limbs from the body
    • "the tiger dismembered the tourist"
  • divide into pieces
    • "our department was dismembered when our funding dried up"
  • To remove the limbs of.
  • To cut or otherwise divide something into pieces.

Examples

  • Death by drawing and quartering usually dismembered the condemned person.
  • The American Civil War nearly dismembered the Union.
  • The killer methodically dismembered the bodies of his victims.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French desmembrer, from des- (“de-”) + membre (“limb”) + -er (“verbal suffix”).

Synonyms

discerp, take apart

Scrabble Score: 16

dismember: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
dismember: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
dismember: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 19

dismember: valid Words With Friends Word