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dysfunction

n. · v.
US //dɪsˈfəŋkʃən// UK //dɪsfˈʌŋkʃən// dys·func·tion
  1. 1 medical/biological (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Medicine

    a problem that stops a part of your body from working the way it should.

    impaired or abnormal functioning of a bodily organ or system.

    Example

    The doctor explained that the patient's liver dysfunction was caused by a long-term illness.

    Example

    Clinical studies suggest that chronic kidney dysfunction can lead to a cascade of secondary complications if not managed through rigorous dietary intervention.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun in medical contexts.
  2. 2 social/family (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    unhealthy or harmful behavior within a group, especially a family.

    the failure of a social group or family unit to function responsibly or provide a healthy environment.

    Example

    The movie explores the dysfunction in a family that refuses to talk about its problems.

    Example

    Sociologists argue that systemic dysfunction within the local government contributed to the collapse of the urban renewal project.

    Usage

    Commonly used to describe interpersonal dynamics in psychology and sociology.
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  1. 3 to fail to work (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to stop working correctly or to behave in a way that is not normal.

    to fail to function in the intended or expected manner. This verbal use is less common than the noun form.

    Example

    The old computer started to dysfunction after the new software was installed.

    Example

    When the cooling system began to dysfunction, the engineers were forced to initiate an emergency shutdown of the entire server rack.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'dysfunction' is widely accepted as a noun, using it as a verb is often considered non-standard; 'malfunction' is usually preferred in formal writing.
Origin

From dys- + function.

Word family

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