disingenuousness
UK[ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒenjuəsnəs]US[ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒenjuəsnəs]
n
the quality of being disingenuous; insincerity or deceitfulness, especially by pretending to know less about something than one really does.
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
ingenuous
ness
dis
not
ingenuous
sincere
ness
state of
Etymology
the word 'disingenuousness' is a modern english formation built upon the adjective 'disingenuous.' the core of the word lies in the latin ingenuus, which originally described a person born free in a society, not enslaved, and by extension, someone of noble character who was open and honest. the prefix 'dis-' negates this core quality, creating 'disingenuous' to describe someone who is not open or honest, often feigning naivety. finally, the old english suffix '-ness' is appended to form the noun, abstracting the deceitful quality into a state of being. thus, the term's logic moves from a classical ideal of native-born frankness, through its negation, to a modern abstract noun denoting a calculated lack of sincerity.
Analysis
Structure: dis (not) + ingenuous (sincere) + ness (state of)
- dis: a latin prefix meaning "apart, away, having a negative or reversing force."
- ingenuous: from latin ingenuus, meaning "native, freeborn, noble, frank." in english, it means "innocently frank and sincere."
- ness: an old english noun-forming suffix used to create abstract nouns indicating a state, condition, or quality.
Examples
his disingenuousness was apparent when he claimed to have no prior knowledge of the project he had secretly funded.
the politician's disingenuousness eroded public trust, as voters grew tired of the carefully crafted evasions.
in the negotiation, her disingenuousness took the form of pretending to misunderstand the terms to gain an advantage.