English Reference
Noun

diss

n. countable
C1 Advanced US /ˈdɪs/ UK /dˈɪs/ diss

n.an insult or a comment that shows no respect. It is a short way of saying 'disrespect' and is common in music and street culture.

n.An expression of disrespect or a verbal insult. Frequently used in hip-hop culture and social-media conflicts.


SIMPLE

He took the comment as a major diss.

CONTEXTUAL

The rapper released a new track that was clearly a diss aimed at his former producer.

COMPLEX

What began as a subtle diss in a social media post quickly escalated into a public feud that dominated the entertainment headlines for weeks.

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'a diss track' or 'a diss at someone'.


Etymology 1

Originated in Jamaican English or African American Vernacular English, probably originally a clipping of disrespect or disparage, both from the prefix dis-, ultimately from Latin dis-.

Etymology 2

Clipping of dissertation.

Etymology 3

From Arabic دِيس (dīs).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin dis-
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated