disintegration meaning

[ disˌinti'greiʃən ] Pronunciation:

Noun: disintegration dis`intu'greyshun
1. In a decomposed state
  - decomposition
2. A loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system
  "a disintegration of personality"
3. Separation into component parts
  - dissolution
4. The spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation
  - decay, radioactive decay
5. Total destruction
  - annihilation
Derived forms: disintegrations
See also: disintegrate
Type of: action, activity, decay, demolition, destruction, disability, disablement, handicap, impairment, natural action, natural process, nuclear reaction, wipeout
Encyclopedia: Disintegration
[Architecture]
Of concrete or the like, the deterioration into small fragments or particles.
[Business]
noun [U]

the breaking up of a company or group of companies:
This takeover is likely to trigger the total disintegration of the century-old firm.
⇨ VERTICAL DISINTEGRATION
[Electronics]
1. The destructive breakdown of a material.
2. The stripping of a vacuum-tube cathode of its emissive coating (see DISINTEGRATION VOLTAGE).
3. The decay of a radioactive material.

More: Next

the incident has hastened the disintegration of the club.
during the disintegration energy is released from the nucleus.
it may develop in place by the decay and disintegration of bedrock.
there is little we can do to stop this natural disintegration of the continents.
the radioactive wastes release a lot of energy due to radioactive disintegration.