distance
UK[ˈdɪstəns]US[ˈdɪstəns]
n
The amount of space between two places or things.
n
A situation in which two people or groups are not friendly or close, or do not understand each other.
v
To become, or to make someone become, less involved or connected with someone or something.
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
stance
dis
apart
stance
standing
Etymology
The word "distance" entered English in the 13th century from Old French destance, meaning "discord, quarrel," which itself evolved from Latin distantia ("a standing apart, remoteness"). The Latin term is built from the prefix dis- ("apart") and the present participle stans ("standing") of the verb stare ("to stand"). The core logic is one of separation in space, literally "standing apart." Over time, the primary meaning shifted from the figurative sense of disagreement to the measurable physical space separating objects, while retaining the abstract sense of emotional or social separation.
Analysis
Structure: dis (apart) + stance (standing)
dis: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "apart, away, having a negative or reversing force."
stance: From Latin stantia ("a standing"), from the verb stare ("to stand").
Examples
The distance from my house to the office is about ten miles.
There has been a growing distance between the two former friends.
He distanced himself from the controversial statements made by his colleague.