disassociation
disassociation Lexical Profile
disassociation Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The act of separating, disconnecting, or severing an association with a person, group, or concept, or the state of being separated.
"The company issued a formal statement of disassociation from the former executive's controversial remarks."
A psychological state or defense mechanism characterized by a feeling of detachment from one's immediate surroundings, physical body, or emotional experiences (more commonly termed dissociation in clinical usage).
"After the stressful event, she experienced a brief period of disassociation in which the world around her felt distant and unreal."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'disassociation' and 'dissociation' are largely synonymous in general contexts, 'dissociation' is strongly preferred in formal writing and is the standard technical term in chemistry and psychology.
• Rhymes for disassociation
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 17th century from the prefix 'dis-' (expressing reversal or separation) and 'association', ultimately from Latin 'associare' meaning 'to join with'.