dispense
UK[dɪˈspɛns]US[dɪˈspɛns]
v
To distribute or provide something, especially a service or product, to a number of people.
v
To prepare and give out medicine, especially by a pharmacist.
v
(dispense with) To manage without or get rid of something considered unnecessary.
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
pense
dis
apart
pense
weigh
Etymology
The word 'dispense' originates from the Latin verb dispensare, meaning 'to weigh out' or 'to distribute by weight'. This verb is built upon the root pendere ('to weigh', 'to pay'), which itself traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root (s)pen-, meaning 'to draw, stretch, spin'. The literal act of carefully weighing out portions of goods, such as money or medicine, evolved into the broader modern sense of distributing or administering something. The semantic core of measured, careful distribution remains, whether applied to justice, advice, or pharmaceuticals.
Analysis
Structure: dis (apart) + pense (weigh)
dis- (Latin origin, a prefix meaning 'apart', 'away', or 'in different directions'); pense (from Latin pensare, a frequentative of pendere, meaning 'to weigh' or 'to pay')
Examples
The machine dispenses hot and cold drinks.
A pharmacist must dispense the correct dosage of medication.
Let's dispense with the formalities and get straight to the point.