disbar
UK[dɪsˈbɑː]US[dɪsˈbɑːr]
v
to expel (a lawyer) from the legal profession or from the bar of a particular jurisdiction, usually as a punishment for serious misconduct.
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
bar
dis
away, off
bar
the legal profession
Etymology
the verb 'disbar' is a relatively modern english formation, dating from the 16th century. it is constructed by combining the latin-derived privative prefix 'dis-', indicating removal or reversal, with the english noun 'bar'. this 'bar' originally referred to the physical railing in a courtroom separating the public area from the space occupied by judges, lawyers, and officers of the court. by metonymy, 'the bar' came to signify the collective body of qualified lawyers. therefore, to 'disbar' someone literally means to remove them from this professional body, effectively revoking their license to practice law as a sanction for unethical conduct.
Analysis
Structure: dis (away, off) + bar (the legal profession)
dis: a latin prefix meaning "apart," "asunder," "away," or having a negative or reversing force.
bar: from the english noun 'bar', referring to the legal profession collectively, derived from the physical barrier in a courtroom.
Examples
the ethics committee voted to disbar the attorney for misappropriating client funds.
if you falsify evidence, you risk being disbarred.
after the scandal, he was disbarred and could no longer practice law in any state.