desuetude (en)

(noun) discontinuance from use or exercise; disuse

desultory (en)

(adjective) marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose / (adjective) not connected with the main subject / (adjective) disappointing in progress, performance, or quality

deus ex machina (la)

(originally Greek) "god from the machine"; derives from the gods introduced by means of a crane in ancient Greek and Roman dramas; something introduced suddenly and unexpectedly that provides a contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty

diachronic (en)

(adjective) of, relating to, or dealing with phenomena (as of language or culture) as they occur or change over a period of time

diacritical (en)

(adjective) distinctive, capable of distinguishing; (of a mark or sign) serving to indicate different pronunciations of a letter above or below which it is written

dialectic (en)

a discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject but wishing to establish the truth through reasoned arguments

dialectical materialism (en)

(noun) the Marxist theory that maintains the material basis of a reality constantly changing in a dialectical process and the priority of matter over mind

dialethism (en)

the view that some statements can be both true and false simultaneously

dialogic (en)

pertaining to a dialogue; used by the Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin in his work of literary theory, The Dialogic Imagination

diarrhetic (en)

diarrhea

diathetic (en)

(noun) a constitutional predisposition toward a particular state or condition and especially one that is abnormal or diseased

dictum (en)

a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source

diegetic (en)

the telling of a story by a narrator who summarizes events in the plot and comments on the conversations, thoughts, etc., of the characters

différance (en)

coined by Jacques Derrida, blending difference and deferral (of meaning); central to deconstruction

dimidiate (en)

(of a coat of arms or charge) adjoin (another) so that only half of each is visible. (verb) halve or reduce to the half

diplopic (en)

relating to double vision

discarnate (en)

(adjective) having no physical body; incorporeal

discursive (en)

(adj) digressing from subject to subject

distaff (en)

(noun) a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning OR relating to women

distal (en)

(adj) situated away from the center of the body or from the point of attachment. "the distal end of the tibia" GEOLOGY: relating to or denoting the outer part of an area affected by geological activity. "the distal zone"

distich (en)

(noun) a strophic unit of two lines

dithery (en)

(noun) a highly nervous, excited, or agitated state; excitement confusion

dithyrambic (en)

(noun) a usually short poem in an inspired wild irregular strain / (noun) a statement or writing in an exalted or enthusiastic vein

divagation (en)

(verb) to wander or stray from a course or subject; diverge digress

divot (en)

(noun) a square of turf or sod