disinterested

Corruption of the adjective disinterest/disinteressed. The sense of lacking interest is likely from dis- +‎ interested.

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈsɪnt(ə)ɹɛstɪd/

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disinterested (comparative more disinterested, superlative most disinterested)

1. Having no stake or interest in the outcome, and no conflicts of interest; free of bias, impartial. [from 17th c.]
   • 1791, James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson:

     Sir, you have a right to that kind of respect, and are arguing for yourself. I am supporting the principle, and am disinterested in doing it, as I have no such right.

   • 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 1”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:

     With his disinterested passion for art, he had a real desire to call the attention of the wise to a talent which was in the highest degree original; [...]

   • 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin, published 2012, page 220:

     People are better off abjuring violence, if everyone else agrees to do so, and vesting authority in a disinterested third party.

   • 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review)‎, London, page R10:

     [P]hilosophers of the time [early 20th century] were primarily concerned with epistemology and the foundations of the sciences; they often spoke as if we were separated from the real world by a screen of "representations" or "sense-data"; they tended to regard our approach to the world as one of disinterested observation.

2. (proscribed) Uninterested, lacking interest. [from 17th c.]
   • 1684, Contempl. State of Man I. x:

     How dis-interested are they in all Worldly matters, since they fling their Wealth and Riches into the Sea.

   • 1936, Djuna Barnes, Nightwood, Faber & Faber, published 2007, page 43:

     Robin took to wandering again, to intermittent travel from which she came back hours, days later, disinterested.

   • 1967, Tommy Frazer, The Sun (Baltimore), "A 'Doctor' Of Karate", March 27

     Those spotted are usually taught so slowly that they grow disinterested and quit.

• The correctness of the use of this word with the meaning uninterested is disputed. Some reference works consider it acceptable,[1] while others do not.[2] The OED specifies that this is "Often regarded as a loose use."[3] According to Macmillan Dictionary, "Many people think that this use of the word is not correct".[4]

• detached, equitable, evenhanded, fair, fairhanded, impartial, imprejudicate, indifferent, neutral, open-minded, unbiased

• biased, conflicted, corrupted, interested, partial, partisan, prejudiced