Dissheathe

/ˌdɪsˈʃiːð/ verb

Definition

To remove a sheath from; to unsheathe a sword or blade.

Etymology

From dis- (removal) + sheathe (to put in a sheath). 'Sheathe' comes from Old English 'scæth' (sheath). The dis- prefix reverses the action, meaning to remove what was sheathed.

Kelly Says

'Unsheathe' is the modern word, but older English used 'dissheathe'—showing how 'dis-' and 'un-' were once interchangeable prefixes meaning reversal. Languages constantly shuffle their toolkit, retiring old words and promoting new ones.

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