disorder

 
Pronunciation: /dɪsˈɔːdə/

noun

[mass noun]
  • a state of confusion: the world 's currency markets were in disorder
  • the breakdown of peaceful and law-abiding public behaviour: recurrent food crises led to outbreaks of disorder
  • [count noun] Medicine an illness that disrupts normal physical or mental functions: skin disorders [mass noun]: 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 normal functioning of: a patient who is mentally disordered

Origin:

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