dissociation

[ dih-soh-see-ey-shuhn, -shee-ey- ]

See synonyms for dissociation on Thesaurus.com

noun

an act or instance of dissociating.
the state of being dissociated; disjunction; separation: the dissociation of church and state.

Physical Chemistry.
- the reversible resolution or decomposition of a complex substance into simpler constituents caused by variation in physical conditions, as when water gradually decomposes into hydrogen and oxygen under great heat in such a way that when the temperature is lowered the liberated elements recombine.
- electrolytic dissociation.
Psychiatry. the splitting off of a group of mental processes from the main body of consciousness, as in amnesia or certain forms of hysteria.

Origin of dissociation

First recorded in 1605–15; dis-¹ + (as)sociation, modeled on Latin dissociātiō “separation”

Other words from dissociation

self-dis·so·ci·a·tion, noun

Words Nearby dissociation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dissociation in a sentence

The result is a powerful combination of dissociation, immersion, and openness to new experiences, which culminates in what was once called a “trance,” but which modern hypnotherapists simply refer to as a “hypnotic state.”
How Hypnosis Works, According to Science | Eleanor Cummins | April 28, 2022 | Time
Similarly, increase the electron-proton mass ratio and the dissociation energy—the energy involved in breaking and making molecular bonds—goes up.
A Wrinkle in Nature Could Lead to Alien Life - Issue 99: Universality | Caleb Scharf | April 21, 2021 | Nautilus
Default mode network dissociation in depressive and anxiety states.
A Quiet Path Out of the Coronavirus Shadow - Issue 98: Mind | Clayton Dalton | March 31, 2021 | Nautilus
The group encompasses Byrne's art-rock solitariness and the dissociation effects in the spare—somewhat Godardian—staging.
The Stacks: Pauline Kael's Talking Heads Obsession | Pauline Kael | November 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
That fear—and its attendant dissociation—is what speaks loudest in the haunting photographs of the Provoke Era.
Photography that Provokes | Philip Gefter | October 15, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST

There seems to be very little known about dissociation, and somewhat vague theories have been advanced to explain the phenomenon.
Aviation Engines | Victor Wilfred Pag
In certain conditions they are capable of dissociation, and they last for a longer or a shorter time.
Reincarnation | Th. Pascal
Psychologists will explain his experience by the word “dissociation.”
Alfred Tennyson | Andrew Lang
Within ten minutes their dissociation was final and absolute.
Joan Thursday | Louis Joseph Vance
The theory of dissociation has, as far as I know, no opponents.
Spiritualism and the New Psychology | Millais Culpin

British Dictionary definitions for dissociation

dissociation

/ (dɪˌsəʊsɪˈeɪʃən, -ʃɪ-) /

noun

the act of dissociating or the state of being dissociated
chem
- a reversible chemical change of the molecules of a single compound into two or more other molecules, atoms, ions, or radicals
- any decomposition of the molecules of a single compound into two or more other compounds, atoms, ions, or radicals

separation of molecules or atoms that occurs when a liquid or solid changes to a gas
psychiatry the separation of a group of mental processes or ideas from the rest of the personality, so that they lead an independent existence, as in cases of multiple personality

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

Scientific definitions for dissociation

dissociation

[ dĭ-sō′sē-ā′shən ]

The separation of a substance into two or more simpler substances, or of a molecule into atoms or ions, by the action of heat or a chemical process. Dissociation is usually reversible.

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