1. the separation or disconnection of bones at a joint; the act of disjointing or separating at an articulation
Usage: medical/anatomical term; can refer to natural separation or surgical procedure
2. in zoology, the natural separation of a limb or appendage from the body, as occurs in some animals under stress
Usage: zoological term; example: autotomy in lizards

Examples

• The surgeon performed a disarticulation of the shoulder joint to remove the damaged tissue.
• Disarticulation of the hip is sometimes necessary in severe trauma cases.
• Some lizards undergo disarticulation of their tails as a defense mechanism.
• The fossil showed signs of disarticulation, with bones scattered across the excavation site.
• Medical students studied the anatomy of disarticulation to understand joint mechanics.
• The pathologist noted disarticulation of the vertebrae in the skeletal remains.