disinformation
UK /ˌdɪsɪnfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ · US /ˌdɪsɪnfɚˈmeɪʃən/ noun, verb
Forms disinformations disinformationing disinformationed
- noun False information intentionally disseminated to deliberately confuse or mislead; intentional misinformation.
- noun Fabricated or deliberately manipulated content; intentionally created conspiracy theories or rumors.
- verb (transitive) To use disinformation. “A country cannot disinformation its way out of fallen soldiers.”
Etymology
Composed of dis- + information. Attested in the sense “intentional misinformation” in English from 1939. A different usage of disinformation occurred earlier, as early as 1887, as a simple synonym of misinformation.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “disinformation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details