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disintegrate

 - 4 dictionary results

dis⋅in⋅te⋅grate

  [dis-in-tuh-greyt] verb, -grat⋅ed, -grat⋅ing.
Use disintegrate in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to separate into parts or lose intactness or solidness; break up; deteriorate: The old book is gradually disintegrating with age.
2. Physics.
a. to decay.
b. (of a nucleus) to change into one or more different nuclei after being bombarded by high-energy particles, as alpha particles or gamma rays.
–verb (used with object)
3. to reduce to particles, fragments, or parts; break up or destroy the cohesion of: Rocks are disintegrated by frost and rain.
Origin:
1790–1800; dis- 1 + integrate

Related forms:
dis⋅in⋅te⋅gra⋅ble  [dis-in-tuh-gruh-buhl] , adjective
dis⋅in⋅te⋅gra⋅tive, dis⋅in⋅te⋅gra⋅to⋅ry  [dis-in-tuh-gruh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -grey-tuh-ree] , adjective
dis⋅in⋅te⋅gra⋅tor, noun

Synonyms:
1, 3. See decay.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To disintegrate
dis·in·te·grate   (dĭs-ĭn'tĭ-grāt')   
v.   dis·in·te·grat·ed, dis·in·te·grat·ing, dis·in·te·grates

v.   intr.

  1. To become reduced to components, fragments, or particles.

  2. To lose cohesion or unity: pressures that cause families to disintegrate

  3. Physics & Chemistry To decompose, decay, or undergo a nuclear transformation.

v.   tr.
To cause to disintegrate. See Synonyms at decay.
dis·in'te·gra'tive adj., dis·in'te·gra'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

disintegrate 
1796, from dis- "do the opposite of" + integrate (q.v.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: dis·in·te·grate
Pronunciation: (')dis-'int-&-"grAt
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -grat·ed;-grat·ing
transitive senses
: to break or decompose into constituent elements, parts, or small particles disintegrate intransitive senses
1 : to break or separate into constituent elements or parts
2 : to undergo a change in composition disintegrates because ofradioactivity> —dis·in·te·gra·tion /(")dis-"int-&-'grA-sh&n/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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