dismemberment

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act of cutting, tearing, or otherwise removing the limbs or parts of a body

   The forensic report established that the dismemberment occurred after death.

2. 2
   noun

   the division of a state, empire, estate, organization, or other whole into separate parts

   The treaty led to the dismemberment of the empire into smaller states.

From dismember + -ment. Dismember came through Middle French desmembrer from des-, 'apart,' + membre, 'limb or member.' Because member can mean both a body part and a constituent part of a political whole, the noun developed parallel physical and territorial senses.

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