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Glite Dictionary
to disestablish

to disestablish

1 8.6
To remove official status and government support from a church or similar group
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsɪˈstæblɪʃ/
  • Formal
translation icon : desestablecer
  • In 1920, the Anglican Church in Wales was disestablished when, through the sheer strength and influence of nonconformist churches, the Welsh Church Act of 1914 was enacted.
  • disestablish the church

So it is possible in the UK and in these islands to, to, to disestablish churches.

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Examples

  • At the time the U.S. Constitution was framed, there was considerable debate among the various states concerning whether government should establish recognized connections between religion (i.e., Protestant Christianity) and the state or whether it should explicitly disestablish such connections.

    Academic text (2006)

  • In 1776, when Virginia's Revolutionary Convention was drafting its Declaration of Rights, Madison prepared an amendment that would have disestablished the Anglican Church.

    Academic text (1996)

  • " If we disestablish public education, many will not be educated.

    Blog text (23)

  • It can only be disestablished by the Irish people.

    Michael Collins (1996)

  • Teaching about secularism (rather than just teaching it) would disestablish it, as teaching about religion was meant to do.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The Church of England was disestablished in every state where it had been established, which was everywhere south of Pennsylvania plus the four counties of metropolitan New York.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Although Virginia had disestablished the Church of England in 1776, it left open the question of whether religion might be supported on a nonpreferential basis by a so-called "general assessment."

    Academic text (1997)

  • Efforts to disestablish the official church faced strong opposition from its supporters.

  • The government plans to disestablish the state religion in favor of a more secular policy.

  • Some politicians argue it is time to disestablish the longstanding ties between church and state.

Synonyms

to secularize
vsto disestablish
4 7.6

To remove religious control from places like schools or hospitals

removes official recognition or state support rather than change religious nature
to disincorporate
vsto disestablish
  • Formal
9.3

End the legal existence of a company, organization, or town

removes government recognition or support without ending legal existence

Antonyms

to establish
772 4.1

To start something that is meant to last

How Established

to recognize
  • Formal
377 1.4
to establish
411 4.1
to disestablish
  • Formal
1 8.6
decertification
  • Formal
1 7.7
to abolish
112 4.1

Surface Forms

disestablish infinitive
disestablished past
disestablished past participle
disestablishing present participle
disestablishes third person singular

Morphology

disestablish = establish (semi-transparent) = dis + establish

The prefix 'dis-' clearly reverses or removes the effect of 'establish', but the usual meaning is the specific institutional sense of removing official status rather than simply undoing any kind of establishment.

Etymology

Disestablish is made of the parts dis- meaning 'not' or 'undo' and establish meaning 'to set up' or 'make firm', the same root you see in stable. So to disestablish a church is to undo its official place or to remove government support.