Disorder Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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disorder
dis-or-der
Definitions
mental health
A state of confusion or disturbance in mental functioning, often characterized by abnormal behavior or thoughts.
Synonyms
condition, illness, malady, syndrome.
Examples of usage
- The patient was diagnosed with a mood disorder.
- She suffers from an anxiety disorder.
- His obsessive-compulsive disorder affects his daily life.
medicine
A disruption of normal physical or mental functions.
Synonyms
abnormality, disruption, dysfunction.
Examples of usage
- The medication helped control his sleep disorder.
- He was hospitalized due to a gastrointestinal disorder.
general
To disrupt the normal functioning or arrangement of something.
Synonyms
disarrange, disorganize, disturb.
Examples of usage
- The storm disorderd the neatly arranged garden furniture.
- The protest disorderd the peace of the neighborhood.
Translations
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Quick facts about “disorder”
Disorder is a 3-syllable noun and verb (dis-or-der). It is pronounced /dɪˈsɔɹdɝ/ in American English and /dɪsˈɔːdɐ/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 3 meanings, 10 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #3,459 among the most common English words.
Did you know?
“disorder” in psychology
- In mental health, the term often refers to conditions characterized by patterns of thoughts and behaviors that are disruptive.
- Many psychological disorders are classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
“disorder” in medical science
- In a medical context, disorders can refer to diseases or conditions that disrupt normal bodily functions.
- Examples include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and attention disorders.
“disorder” in social sciences
- Sociologists study social disorder to understand issues like crime, homelessness, and community breakdown.
- Social disorder can lead to significant psychological and economic impacts on communities.
“disorder” in culture
- Disorder is explored in arts, where themes of chaos and disturbance often reflect societal issues, like in literature and films.
- Famous works, such as George Orwell's '1984', depict the disorder that arises in dystopian societies.
Origin of 'disorder'
Main points about word origin
- The term comes from the Latin 'disordinare', which means to unarrange or disrupt order.
- It has been used since the late 14th century to describe chaos or a lack of organization.
The word 'disorder' originated from the Old French word 'desordre', which in turn came from the Latin words 'dis-' (apart) and 'ordinare' (to order). The concept of disorder has been recognized throughout history, with various cultures and societies developing different understandings and treatments for different types of disorders.
See also: order, orderable, ordered, ordering, orderliness, orderly, orders, reorder, reordering.