Standard Lemma guide

dysfunction

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S F AH1 NG K SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: eufunction, function

2

verb

Meaning 2

To fail to function correctly; to malfunction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, nonstandard

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

(medicine) any disturbance in the functioning of an organ or body part or a disturbance in the functioning of a social group

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • erectile dysfunction
  • sexual relationship dysfunction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disfunction

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pathology

Narrower terms: erectile dysfunction, male erecticle dysfunction, ED, paralysis, palsy

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dews-? Proto-Indo-European *dus- Proto-Hellenic *dus- Ancient Greek δῠσ- (dŭs-)der. New Latin dys-der. English dys- Old French fonction Middle French functionbor. English function English dysfunction From dys- + function.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: disfunció — failure to function
  • Chinese Mandarin: 功能障礙 /功能障碍 (gōngnéng zhàng'ài) — failure to function
  • Czech: dysfunkce — failure to function
  • Danish: dysfunktion — failure to function
  • Danish: funktionsforstyrrelse — failure to function
  • Danish: funktionssvigt — failure to function
  • Dutch: disfunctie — failure to function
  • Finnish: toimintahäiriö — failure to function
  • French: dysfonctionnement — failure to function
  • French: dysfonction — failure to function
  • Georgian: დისფუნქცია (dispunkcia) — failure to function
  • German: Fehlfunktion — failure to function
  • German: Dysfunktion — failure to function
  • Greek: δυσλειτουργία (dysleitourgía) — failure to function
  • Indonesian: disfungsi — failure to function
  • Italian: disfunzione — failure to function
  • Japanese: 機能不全 (kinōfuzen) — failure to function
  • Malay: disfungsi — failure to function
  • Norwegian Bokmål: dysfunksjon — failure to function
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: dysfunksjon — failure to function
  • Polish: dysfunkcja — failure to function
  • Portuguese: disfunção — failure to function
  • Russian: дисфу́нкция (disfúnkcija) — failure to function
  • Spanish: disfunción — failure to function
  • Swedish: dysfunktion — failure to function
  • Ukrainian: дисфу́нкція (dysfúnkcija) — failure to function
Real reading context

dysfunction in complete knowledge articles