multiple personality disorder

noun

Definition of multiple personality disorder

: a 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 — called also multiple personality, dissociative identity disorder

Recent Examples of multiple personality disorder from the Web

Once, Deborah told her daughter she had been diagnosed with multiple personality disorder.

— TIME.com, "Instagram Photographer of 2017," 20 Dec. 2017
Turner studied schizophrenia and multiple personality disorders to prepare for this difficult, volatile role.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "See Sophie Turner Like You've Never Seen Her in X-Men: Dark Phoenix," 7 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'multiple personality disorder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of multiple personality disorder

1972

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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