Disburse Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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disburse
[dɪsˈbɜːs ]
Definition
financial
To pay out money from a fund. To distribute money or resources.
Synonyms
allocate, distribute, pay out.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
Word | Description / Examples |
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disburse |
Used in formal settings, especially in financial or institutional contexts, to describe the process of giving out funds or resources from a specific source.
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distribute |
Often used in general contexts to describe the act of giving out items, information, or resources to a group of people or places.
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pay out |
Used primarily in informal or everyday contexts to describe the act of giving money to someone, especially from a fund or for a specific purpose.
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allocate |
Commonly used in administrative, business, or planning contexts to describe the distribution or assignment of resources, tasks, or responsibilities.
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Examples of usage
- The company will disburse bonuses to its employees next month.
- The government disburses funds for various social programs.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Origin of 'disburse'
The word 'disburse' originated from the Old French word 'desbourser', which means 'to remove a burden'. It entered the English language in the late 16th century. The prefix 'dis-' indicates the reversal of a previous action, while 'burse' comes from the Latin 'bursa', meaning 'purse' or 'bag'. Therefore, 'disburse' originally referred to the act of emptying or removing something from a purse or bag, eventually evolving to its current financial meaning.