— disintegrable /dis in"teuh greuh beuhl/ , adj. — disintegrative, disintegratory /dis in"teuh greuh tawr'ee, -tohr'ee, -gray'teuh ree/ , adj. — disintegrator , n.
/dis in"teuh grayt'/ , v. , disintegrated, disintegrating .
v.i.
1. to separate into parts or lose intactness or solidness; break up; deteriorate: The old book is gradually disintegrating with age.
2. Physics.
a. to decay.
b. (of a nucleus) to change into one or more different nuclei after being bombarded by high-energy particles, as alpha particles or gamma rays.
v.t.
3. to reduce to particles, fragments, or parts; break up or destroy the cohesion of: Rocks are disintegrated by frost and rain.
[ 1790-1800; DIS- 1 + INTEGRATE ]
Syn. 1, 3. See decay .