dysfunction

American  

[dis-fuhngk-shuhn] / dɪsˈfʌŋk ʃən /

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.

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

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dysfunction British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• dysfunctional adjective

Etymology

Origin of dysfunction

First recorded in 1915–20; dys- + function

Example Sentences

The study appears in Science Advances under the title "A long-term ketogenic diet causes hyperlipidemia, liver dysfunction, and glucose intolerance from impaired insulin secretion in mice."

From Science Daily

As people grow older, the immune system often becomes less balanced and more prone to dysfunction.

From Science Daily

We move in a familiar loop: outrage at dysfunction, ritualized critique, then a quiet hope that the same brittle systems will somehow stabilize themselves when the stakes get high.

From Salon

Other research shows they can cause dysfunction in the gut microbiome.

From The Wall Street Journal

This followed a long riff about Europe’s many economic dysfunctions, especially on energy policy.

From The Wall Street Journal