ScienceAugust 16, 2026
disconfirming
dis-kun-FUR-ming
Definition
Providing evidence that proves a statement, hypothesis, or claim is false.
Etymology
The word is formed from the prefix 'dis-', meaning 'reverse' or 'away,' and the verb 'confirm,' which traces back to the Latin 'confirmare,' meaning 'to strengthen or establish.'
In the news
In the article, the researchers tested children's ability to identify disconfirming evidence to effectively challenge a puppet's incorrect claim about why a light turned on.
Children can understand falsification through evidence as early as age 4
Read the full article ↗PsyPost