Dictionary Entry
dysfunction
Part of SpeechnounPronunciation/dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/Word FrequencyCommon (4.35)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile dysfunction), a mental disorder, or the improper behavior of a social group.
In a Sentence
“The patient was diagnosed with liver dysfunction, which affected his ability to digest food.”
Published Usage Examples
“I used the word dysfunction earlier for a reason when referencing your family, because it is clear to me that your family has been defective for years.”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 10 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
From Latin 'dys-' (bad) and 'functio' (performance).
Common Phrases
Antonyms
Poetry examples for “dysfunction”
Excerpts from the ReadingWillow English Library collection.
Poetry examples are still being gathered for this entry. They will appear here once matching poems are available in the library.
