(1) Separation, or a dissolution of relations. For the following chemical, biochemical, and psychiatric senses, avoid substituting the misspelling/mispronunciation dissociation. SYN: disassociation. (2) The change of a complex chemical compound into simpler ones by any lytic reaction, by ionization, by heterolysis, or by homolysis. (3) An unconscious separation of a group of mental processes from the rest, resulting in an independent functioning of these processes and a loss of the usual associations, e.g., a separation of affect from cognition.dissociative identity disorder (4) A state used as an essential part of a technique for healing in psychology and psychotherapy, for instance in hypnotherapy or the neurolinguistic programming technique of Time-Line therapy.Time-Line therapy. (5) The translocation between a large chromosome and a small supernumerary one. (6) Separation of the nuclear components of a heterokaryotic dikaryon. (7) The disassembly of protomers from a larger marcomolecular complex or polymer. [L. dis-socio, pp. -atus, to disjoin, separate, fr. socius, partner, ally]