disintegration

disintegration definition - medical

dis·in·te·gra·tion (dĭs-ĭnˌtĭ-grāˈshən)

noun
  1. The breaking up of the component parts of a substance, as in catabolism or decay.
  2. The disorganization or disruption of mental processes in mental illness.
  3. The natural or induced transformation of an atomic nucleus from a more massive to a less massive configuration by the emission of particles or radiation.

Related Forms:

  • dis·inˈte·grateˌ verb

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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