On the Origin of “Diseconomies”

Abstract

According to Tlie Oxford English Dictionary (OED) the original antonym for economy is ineconomy and not the popular term diseconomy. Ineconomy, it seems was used at least as early as 1897 (see the entry under ineconomy in OED). Although it is equally acceptable for the prefix dis to be used in front of almost any word (according to OED), some curious questions arise. How did diseconomy become so popular to the extent that •"diseconomies of scale" rather than "ineconomies of scale" is enshrined in the tomes of economics, and who can claim credit for such an addition to the English Language? Let us concentrate on the origin of "diseconomies of scale."