multiple personality disorder

noun

variants or less commonly multiple personality

: a personality disorder that is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct and complex identities or personality states each of which becomes dominant and controls behavior from time to time to the exclusion of the others and results from disruption in the integrated functions of consciousness, memory, and identity : dissociative identity disorder

Note: The term dissociative identity disorder is now preferred over multiple personality disorder and multiple personality especially in medical contexts.

Examples of multiple personality disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Image Much of Didion’s published writing, particularly about her daughter’s mental health (she was given many psychiatric diagnoses over the years, culminating in multiple personality disorder), can feel like a whisper the reader strains to hear, but never quite does. —Lauren Christensen, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

Among them are José Arroyo, a disabled former master technician, Corrine Griffith, a disabled woman who suffers from multiple personality disorder and epilepsy and Michael Austin, a homeless handyman who lives in a tent with a spring mattress to help his arthritic back. —Kyle Martin, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025

Gibney explores her long career, her occasional errors and her innovative work in diagnosing and understanding multiple personality disorder. —Jason Bailey, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

And Norton’s flawless portrayal of a guileless kid who might be suffering from multiple personality disorder is worth the admission price alone. —Tomris Laffly, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for multiple personality disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Kids Definition

multiple personality disorder

noun

: a neurosis in which the personality becomes separated into two or more parts each of which controls behavior part of the time

Medical Definition

multiple personality disorder

noun

: a personality disorder that is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct and complex identities or personality states each of which becomes dominant and controls behavior from time to time to the exclusion of the others and results from disruption in the integrated functions of consciousness, memory, and identity : dissociative identity disorder

Note: The term dissociative identity disorder is now preferred over multiple personality disorder especially in medical contexts.

—abbreviation MPD