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disorder

Syllabification: (dis·or·der)

Pronunciation: /disˈôrdər/

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Definition of disorder

noun

a state of confusion:tiresome days of mess and disorder
the disruption of peaceful and law-abiding behavior:recurrent food crises led to periodic outbreaks of disorder
Medicine a disruption of normal physical or mental functions; a disease or abnormal condition:eating disorders an improved understanding of mental disorder

verb

[with object] (usually as adjective disordered)

disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement of:she went to comb her disordered hair his sleep is disordered
Medicine disrupt the healthy or normal functioning of:a patient who is mentally disordered

Origin:

late 15th century (as a verb in the sense 'upset the order of'): alteration, influenced by order, of earlier disordain, from Old French desordener, ultimately based on Latin ordinare 'ordain'

disorder in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of disorder in the British & World English dictionary

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