dissolution
noun
Origin of dissolution
OTHER WORDS FROM dissolution
Words nearby dissolution
VOCAB BUILDER
What does dissolution mean?
Dissolution generally refers to the process of dissolving or breaking apart.
Dissolution is the noun form of the verb dissolve, which most commonly means to mix into and melt within a liquid but has several other meanings, including to break apart. Dissolution also has several other meanings, including specific ones in contexts such as chemistry, law, and law.
When it refers to the process of breaking apart, dissolution commonly applies to things like formal relationships (such as marriage) and organizations (such as a parliament).
Example: The dissolution of the company left many people out of work.
Where does dissolution come from?
The first records of dissolution come from the 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Latin verb solvere, meaning “to loosen” or “to release.”
When you pour salt in water, it dissolves, forming a solution—a uniform mixture of a solid and a liquid. In chemistry, the process by which this happens is called dissolution. It might seem like dissolution would be the opposite of solution, but in this case the prefix dis- is used to mean “apart,” emphasizing the idea that a solution is formed when the elements of something (salt) come apart to be fully mixed with something else (water).
In formal legal terms, a divorce is sometimes referred to as a dissolution of marriage. It legally dissolves (breaks apart) the marriage, making it so that two people involved are no longer legally married. Dissolution is also used in the context of companies that go out of business and have their assets dissolved (sold off to pay debts). In terms of government, dissolution happens when a head of state dissolves the existing parliament, requiring a new election.
Dissolution doesn’t always have to be official. It can be used in a general way to refer to destruction or disintegration or the process of ending, undoing, or breaking up. Less commonly, it can even mean “death.”
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to dissolution?
- dissolve (verb)
- dissolutive (adjective)
What are some synonyms for dissolution?
What are some words that share a root or word element with dissolution?
What are some words that often get used in discussing dissolution?
What are some words dissolution may be commonly confused with?
How is dissolution used in real life?
Dissolution can be used generally, but it is most often used in technical contexts, especially chemistry, law, and business.
Putting sugar into my iced tea and thinking about how stirring affects the rate of dissolution and then crying cuz chemistry exam
— BridgetNeuge (@BridgetNeuge) May 31, 2014
Today is the day the Dissolution of Parliament would have taken place if the 2015-20 Parliament had run to term.
— Jack Evans (@jackcevans) March 30, 2020
In an effort to bring calm to my world, I'm teaching my husband about the five mother sauces of France.
He replied that my mother was not French, she is just Floridian, and I am looking at e-filing dissolution of marriage documents after this tweet.— Sarah Harper (@SarahJinx12) March 17, 2020
Try using dissolution!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of dissolution?
A. dispersal
B. disintegration
C. addition
D. fragmentation