disintegrates
|dis-in-te-grates|
🇺🇸
/dɪsˈɪn.təˌɡreɪt/
🇬🇧
/dɪsˈɪn.tə.ɡreɪt/
(disintegrate)
break apart
Etymology
'disintegrate' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'disintegrare', where the prefix 'dis-' meant 'apart/away' and 'integrare' was related to 'integer' meaning 'whole'.
'disintegrare' (Latin) passed into English in the 17th century as 'disintegrate', formed from the negative prefix 'dis-' + the verb related to 'integrate'.
Initially it meant 'to undo the wholeness or integrity of something'; over time it retained that sense and came to be used both for physical breaking into pieces and for metaphorical collapse of systems or unity.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
third-person singular present form of 'disintegrate'.
The old treaty disintegrates under mounting political tensions.
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Verb 2
to break apart into small pieces or fragments; to fall to pieces or lose cohesion (intransitive).
Without maintenance, the concrete disintegrates over time.
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Last updated: 2026/01/04 04:22