disappearance

English

Etymology

Morphologically disappear +‎ -ance.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪsəˈpɪəɹəns/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)

Noun

disappearance (countable and uncountable, plural disappearances)

  1. The action of disappearing or vanishing.
    Wireless phone technology led to the disappearance of once-common coiled cords for telephone handsets.
  2. Passing out of sight.
    From the shore, they watched the disappearance of the ships' masts into the haze.
  3. Leaving secretly of without explanation
    The prosecuting attorney was concerned about the potential disappearance of witnesses.
  4. Cessation of existence.
    • 1898, William B. Coley, “The Treatment of Inoperable Sarcoma with the Mixed Toxins of Erysipelas and Bacillus Prodigiosus”, in Journal of the American Medical Association, volume 31, American Medical Association, page 464:
      A single undoubted cure of a demonstrated cancer or sarcoma by this treatment would be enough to say definitely that the treatment exerts some specifically curative influence, for the spontaneous disappearance of undoubtedly malignant growths of this character is almost unknown.

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References
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