detachment

American  

[dih-tach-muhnt] / dɪˈtætʃ mənt /

noun

1. the act of detaching.

2. the condition of being detached. detached.

3. aloofness, as from worldly affairs or from the concerns of others.

   Synonyms:

   unconcern, indifference, coolness

4. freedom from prejudice or partiality.

5. the act of sending out a detached detached force of troops or naval ships.

6. the body of troops or ships so detached. detached.

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detachment British  

/ dɪˈtætʃmənt /

noun

1. indifference to other people or to one's surroundings; aloofness

2. freedom from self-interest or bias; disinterest

3. the act of disengaging or separating something

4. the condition of being disengaged or separated; disconnection

5. military

   1. the separation of a small unit from its main body, esp of ships or troops

   2. the unit so detached

6. a branch office of a police force

7. logic the rule whereby the consequent of a true conditional statement, given the truth of its antecedent, may be asserted on its own See also modus ponens

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Other Word Forms

• nondetachment noun
• predetachment noun

Etymology

Origin of detachment

From the French word détachement, dating back to 1660–70. See detach, -ment

Example Sentences

Helping to create the New Yorker’s signature voice of amused detachment, she used her reporting to reveal broader insights.

From The Wall Street Journal

Part of the reason for Truman’s detachment was the immense scope of the job thrust upon him.

From The Wall Street Journal

Retinal detachment occurs when the thin layer at the back of the eye - the retina - becomes loose.

From BBC

But myopia also increases the risk of cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment and other eye diseases later in life.

From The Wall Street Journal

He preserves an ironic detachment, refusing to take sides between the colonial French forces and the Communists fighting to take control of the country.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• indifference
• neutrality
• objectivity
• remoteness