dysfunction

[ dis-fuhngk-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: dysfunctiondysfunctional on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. Medicine/Medical. malfunctioning, as of an organ or structure of the body.

  2. any malfunctioning part or element: the dysfunctions of the country's economy.

  1. Sociology. a consequence of a social practice or behavior pattern that undermines the stability of a social system.

Origin of dysfunction

1
First recorded in 1915–20; dys- + function

Other words from dysfunction

  • dys·func·tion·al, adjective

Words Nearby dysfunction

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dysfunction in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dysfunction

dysfunction

/ (dɪsˈfʌŋkʃən) /


noun
  1. med any disturbance or abnormality in the function of an organ or part

  2. (esp of a family) failure to show the characteristics or fulfil the purposes accepted as normal or beneficial

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012