Disintegration
/dɪsˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃən/
Definitions
The process of breaking down into small parts or losing cohesion.
/dɪsˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃən/
The process of breaking down or falling apart.
The slow disintegration of the old building was a sad sight.
💡 Simply: Think of a cookie crumbling into pieces. Disintegration is like that, but for bigger things like societies or atoms! It's when something falls apart and loses its structure.
👶 For kids: When something breaks apart into tiny pieces, that's disintegration!
More Examples
The scientist studied the disintegration of the unstable element.
The political party suffered disintegration due to internal conflicts.
How It's Used
"The disintegration of a radioactive isotope."
"The disintegration of the social order after the revolution."
"Symptoms of mental disintegration."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
social disintegration
The breakdown of social order and cohesion within a community or society.
"The rise of unemployment led to social disintegration in the area."
nuclear disintegration
The process where an atomic nucleus loses energy and mass by emitting particles.
"The study focused on the rates of nuclear disintegration in different isotopes."
From Late Latin *disintegrationem*, from *disintegrare* 'to break apart', from *dis-* (apart) + *integrare* (to make whole).
Used since the late 17th century, initially to describe the breaking down of physical structures, and later extended to describe the breakdown of societies, relationships, and ideas.
Memory tip
Imagine a puzzle being thrown on the floor; it experiences disintegration.
Word Origin
"to break apart"