Nonfunctionality

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of not working correctly or failing to operate as intended
2. A condition in which something does not perform its expected actions or duties
3. The quality of being nonoperational or ineffective at fulfilling its purpose

Etymology: "Nonfunctionality" is a plain compound: the prefix "non-," meaning "not," attached to "functionality," the noun from "functional," itself built on "function." The first part, "function," comes from Latin "functio," meaning performance or discharge of a duty, from "fungi," to perform. The "-ality" ending turns the adjective "functional" into a noun for the quality or state of being functional, while "non-" reverses it, so the word names the state of not functioning as intended. The pattern is a modern one. The prefix "non-" is productive in English and can attach to almost any noun or adjective, which is why coinages like this appear whenever a technical or everyday context needs a label for a failure to work. The word describes a condition rather than an object, so it is most often used in discussions of systems, equipment, or design, where something is judged by whether it performs its expected role.

Synonyms: dysfunction, ineffectiveness