# dispute

> English word · Noun · IPA /dɪsˈpjuːt/ · frequency rank #4,521

## Definitions
1. An argument or disagreement; a failure to agree.
2. An argument or disagreement; a failure to agree.
3. Verbal controversy or disagreement; altercation; debate.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dews-?
Proto-Indo-European *dus-
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwi-
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwís
Latin dis-
Proto-Italic *putos
Latin putus?
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Latin putō
Latin disputo
Old French desputerbor.
Middle English disputen
English dispute
From Middle English disputen, from Old French desputer (French disputer), from Latin disputāre (“to dispute, discuss, examine, compute, estimate”), from dis- (“apart”) + putāre (“to reckon, consider, think, originally make clean, clear up”), related to purus (“pure”). Compare compute, count, impute, repute, amputate, etc.

## Easily confused with
- **disuse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dispute-vs-disuse)
- **disputes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dispute-vs-disputes)
- **disputed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dispute-vs-disputed)
- **dilute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dilute-vs-dispute)
- **despite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/despite-vs-dispute)
- **dispose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dispose-vs-dispute)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ddispute`, `dipsute`, `disppute`, `disptue`, `dispuet`, `disputte`, `disspute`, `disupte`, `dsipute`, `idspute`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dispute