From Middle English disavauntage, from Old French desavantage.

• (RP) enPR: dĭs'əd-vän'tĭj, IPA: /ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒ/
• (America) enPR: dĭs'əd-văn'tĭj, IPA: /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪd͡ʒ/

disadvantage (plural disadvantages)

1. A weakness or undesirable characteristic; con; drawback.

   The disadvantage to owning a food processor is that you have to store it somewhere.

2. A setback or handicap.

   My height is a disadvantage for reaching high shelves.

   • 1774, Edmund Burke, speech to the electors of Bristol:

     I was brought hither under the disadvantage of being unknown, even by sight, to any of you.

   • 1859-1890, John G. Palfrey, History of New England to the Revolutionary War

     Abandoned by their great patron, the faction henceforward acted at disadvantage.

3. Loss; detriment; hindrance.
   • 1834–1874, George Bancroft, History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent, volume (please specify |volume=I to X), Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company [et al.], →OCLC ↗:

     They would throw a construction on his conduct, to his disadvantage before the public.

• (an undesirable characteristic) afterdeal, con, drawback, malefit, downside
• (a handicap) afterdeal, weakness

• advantage

• French: désavantage
• German: Nachteil
• Italian: svantaggio
• Portuguese: desvantagem
• Russian: невы́годное положе́ние
• Spanish: desventaja

• French: désavantage
• Italian: svantaggio
• Portuguese: desvantagem
• Russian: неудо́бство
• Spanish: desventaja

• Russian: поме́ха

disadvantage (disadvantages, present participle disadvantaging; simple past and past participle disadvantaged)

1. (transitive) To place at a disadvantage.

   They fear it might disadvantage honest participants to allow automated entries.

• tell against