derange
UK[dɪˈreɪndʒ]US[dɪˈreɪndʒ]
v
To make someone unable to think or act in a normal way, especially because of mental illness.
v
To put something into a state of disorder or disarray.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
range
de
reverse/remove
range
arrange/order
Etymology
The word "derange" entered English in the late 18th century from French déranger, which itself was built from the Old French elements des- (a variant of the Latin de-, meaning "completely, reversal") and rengier ("to arrange, to put in order"). The literal, compositional meaning is therefore "to undo the arrangement, to remove from order." This logic progressed from a physical sense of disordering objects to a more abstract and psychological application, specifically describing the disruption of mental order or sanity. The term's clinical connotation reflects the Enlightenment-era conceptualization of mental illness as a departure from rational order.
Analysis
Structure: de (reverse/remove) + range (arrange/order)
- de: A prefix of Latin origin, meaning "down from, off, away, reversing or removing the action."
- range: From Old French rengier ("to arrange in a row, place in order"), itself from Frankish hring ("ring, circle") and ultimately from Proto-Germanic \hringaz ("circle, ring"). In this word, it carries the sense of "orderly arrangement."
Examples
The traumatic experience completely deranged his mind.
Please do not derange the papers on my desk; I have them organized a specific way.
The constant noise was enough to derange anyone's senses.