disintegration

Dis*in`te*gra"tion, n. (a) The process by which anything is disintegrated; the condition of anything which is disintegrated. Specifically (b) (Geol.) The wearing away or falling to pieces of rocks or strata, produced by atmospheric action, frost, ice, etc. Society had need of further disintegration before it could begin to reconstruct itself locally. Motley.

---