desconcertar
|des-con-cer-tar|
/deskonseɾˈtaɾ/
to throw off balance; unsettle
Etymology
'desconcertar' originates from Spanish, formed from the prefix 'des-' (a negative or reversing prefix) + 'concertar' (to agree, to arrange).
'concertar' comes from Latin 'concertare' / 'concertāre' (to bring together, to agree or contend), which passed into Romance languages and Old Spanish as 'concertar'; the negative prefix 'des-' was later added in Spanish to form 'desconcertar'.
Initially related to 'undoing an agreement' or 'breaking an arrangement', it evolved to the current sense of 'cause bewilderment or unsettle (someone)' and 'disturb plans'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to cause someone to feel confused, embarrassed, or thrown off balance; to unsettle.
La pregunta inesperada pudo desconcertar al testigo.
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Verb 2
to disturb or upset plans, arrangements, or an agreed order (to disrupt an expected course of events).
El cambio de último momento puede desconcertar todo el programa previsto.
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Last updated: 2025/11/12 06:46