desaparición
“desaparición” means “disappearance” in Spanish (general or legal context).
disappearance
Also: vanishing, extinction
📝 In Action
La policía investiga la desaparición de un testigo clave.
B1The police are investigating the disappearance of a key witness.
La rápida desaparición de la nieve sorprendió a todos.
B1The rapid vanishing of the snow surprised everyone.
La contaminación acelera la desaparición de muchas especies marinas.
B2Pollution accelerates the extinction of many marine species.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desaparición
Question 1 of 1
¿Cuál es la traducción más común de 'desaparición'?
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👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
This word comes from the verb 'desaparecer' (to disappear) combined with the Latin suffix '-ción,' which is added to a verb root to create a noun describing an action or result. It literally means 'the resulting state of having disappeared.'
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cómo se dice 'The missing person' en español?
You would say 'La persona desaparecida' or simply 'El/La desaparecido/a.' Remember that 'desaparición' itself only refers to the event or state of vanishing, not the person.
¿Es 'desaparición' una palabra formal?
It is a standard, neutral word, but it is often used in official contexts, like police reports or scientific articles, because it is precise.