English Reference
noun

dissolution

n.
US /ˌdɪsəˈɫuʃən/ UK /dˌɪsəlˈuːʃən/ dis·so·lu·tion UK spelling dissolution's, dissolution's

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Formal Law

    the official end of a group, such as a parliament, a business partnership, or a marriage.

    the formal termination or dismissal of an organized body, legislative assembly, or legal agreement.

    Simple

    The dissolution of their partnership meant they had to sell the office.

    In context

    The sudden dissolution of parliament triggered an early election, catching many opposition candidates off guard and unprepared for the campaign.

    Usage

    Often used with 'of' to specify the entity being ended.

    terminationdisbandmentdivorce
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    the process of something slowly breaking apart or disappearing.

    the act of breaking up or decomposing into constituent parts or fragments.

    Simple

    The dissolution of the old empire took many decades to complete.

    In context

    The gradual dissolution of traditional social structures in the village led to a sense of isolation among the older residents.

    solidificationunification
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    the process of a solid becoming part of a liquid.

    the process by which a solute passes into a solvent to form a solution.

    Simple

    The dissolution of the sugar in the tea happened much faster when it was hot.

    In context

    The rate of dissolution of the tablet is carefully controlled by its coating to ensure the medicine enters the bloodstream slowly.

    liquefactionmelting
  4. 04 C2 Proficiency LiteraryFormal

    a way of living that is full of bad habits and lacks self-control.

    the quality of being dissolute; a life characterized by indulgence in pleasure and a lack of morals.

    Simple

    The young man's life of dissolution eventually left him with no money.

    In context

    The novel depicts the protagonist's slow descent into dissolution, as he abandons his responsibilities for a life of constant partying.

    virtueasceticism

Kurdish leader appointed to the role days after the dissolution of the force he commanded.

Al Jazeera· 27 Aug 2026

The study challenges a central assumption underlying many projections for enhanced weathering: that carbon captured during the initial dissolution of basalt in soil can largely be counted as durable carbon removal.

Phys.org· 26 Aug 2026

From Middle English dissolucioun, from Old French dissolucion, from Latin dissolūtiō (“a dissolving, destroying, breaking up, dissolution”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin dissolūtiō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated