Dissociation

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdɪˌsəʊʃɪieɪʃən UK
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Origin

Borrowing from fr dissociation, from Latin dissociātiō.

Full definition of dissociation

Noun

1. The act of dissociating or disuniting; a state of separation; disunion.
2. (chemistry) The process by which a compound body breaks up into simpler constituents; said particularly of the action of heat on gaseous or volatile substances.the dissociation of the sulphur moleculesthe dissociation of ammonium chloride into hydrochloric acid and ammonia
3. (psychology) A defence mechanism where certain thoughts or mental processes are compartmentalised in order to avoid emotional stress to the conscious mind."Project MONARCH could be best described as a form of structured dissociation and occultic integration, carried out in order to compartmentalize the mind into multiple personalities within a systematic framework." —Ron Patton

Related terms

• dissociate
• dissociative