Dysfunction: meaning, definitions and examples

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dysfunction

[ dɪsˈfʌŋkʃən ]

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in medicine

Abnormal or impaired functioning, especially of a bodily system or organ.

Synonyms

abnormality, disorder, malfunction

Examples of usage

The patient was diagnosed with erectile dysfunction.
She suffers from a dysfunction of the thyroid gland.

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in society

A problem or fault in a system or organization.

Synonyms

disorder, malfunction, problem

Examples of usage

The dysfunction in the government led to chaos and confusion.
There is a dysfunction in the communication between different departments.

Translations

Translations of the word "dysfunction" in other languages:

🇵🇹 disfunção

🇮🇳 विकृति

🇩🇪 Dysfunktion

🇮🇩 disfungsi

🇺🇦 дисфункція

🇵🇱 dysfunkcja

🇯🇵 機能不全 (kinō fuken)

🇫🇷 dysfonctionnement

🇪🇸 disfunción

🇹🇷 disfonksiyon

🇰🇷 기능 장애 (ginŭng jangae)

🇸🇦 خلل وظيفي (khalal wazifi)

🇨🇿 dysfunkce

🇸🇰 dysfunkcia

🇨🇳 功能障碍 (gōngnéng zhàng'ài)

🇸🇮 disfunkcija

🇮🇸 starfstruflan

🇰🇿 дисфункция

🇬🇪 დისფუნქცია (disfunqtsia)

🇦🇿 disfunksiya

🇲🇽 disfunción

Word origin

The word 'dysfunction' originated from the combination of the prefix 'dys-' meaning 'bad' or 'abnormal' and the word 'function' meaning 'the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used'. The term has been used in the medical field since the mid-19th century to describe abnormal functioning of bodily systems. In the context of society, it gained popularity in the late 20th century to describe problems or faults in systems or organizations.