Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Abnormal or impaired functioning of a bodily system or organ.
  • noun Failure to achieve or sustain a behavioral norm or expected condition, as in a social relationship.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile dysfunction), a mental disorder, or the improper behavior of a social group.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (medicine) any disturbance in the functioning of an organ or body part or a disturbance in the functioning of a social group

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

dys- +‎ function

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Examples

  • I used the word dysfunction earlier for a reason when referencing your family, because it is clear to me that your family has been defective for years.

    Agi Smith: Silicon Valley Divorce Over A Gay Child? Agi Smith 2011

  • I used the word dysfunction earlier for a reason when referencing your family, because it is clear to me that your family has been defective for years.

    Agi Smith: Silicon Valley Divorce Over A Gay Child? Agi Smith 2011

  • I used the word dysfunction earlier for a reason when referencing your family, because it is clear to me that your family has been defective for years.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Agi Smith 2011

  • The cause of our dysfunction is our ignorant and selfish citizenry.

    Matthew Yglesias » Why the Budget Will Never Be Balanced 2010

  • December 21st, 2009 1: 20 pm ET count on the GOP to do everything they can to prove how dysfunctional the Fed Gov is, even though the dysfunction is a product of their own making.

    Obama: Health care vote a victory for American people 2009

  • Perhaps a good deal of what we call dysfunction in health care is due to America's (and other countries ') demands for cradle to grave government everything at the same time that we view irresponsibility as freedom and demand lower taxes?

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • Perhaps a good deal of what we call dysfunction in health care is due to America's (and other countries ') demands for cradle to grave government everything at the same time that we view irresponsibility as freedom and demand lower taxes?

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • Perhaps a good deal of what we call dysfunction in health care is due to America's (and other countries ') demands for cradle to grave government everything at the same time that we view irresponsibility as freedom and demand lower taxes?

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • Perhaps a good deal of what we call dysfunction in health care is due to America's (and other countries ') demands for cradle to grave government everything at the same time that we view irresponsibility as freedom and demand lower taxes?

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • Perhaps a good deal of what we call dysfunction in health care is due to America's (and other countries ') demands for cradle to grave government everything at the same time that we view irresponsibility as freedom and demand lower taxes?

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

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