derailment

[ dee-reyl-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act or process of derailing.
2. Psychiatry. loosening of associations.

Word History and Origins

Origin of derailment¹

1940–45; derail + -ment, or < French déraillement

Example Sentences

The kind of “catastrophic event” that could cause something like this would be a crash or a derailment in which a cell is damaged, says Jon Hughes, managing director of UK Fire Training.

From BBC

Their last home match was the best it has been under him – a riotous derailment of Ireland's Grand Slam express back in March.

From BBC

Flames and smoke billowed from burning chemicals, and an acrid odor radiated from the derailment area as chemicals entered the air and spilled into a nearby creek.

From Salon

The star on the Ohio-Pennsylvania line is the site of the derailment.

From Salon

Three weeks after the derailment, we began investigating the safety of the area near 17 buildings in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

From Salon