A state of imbalance or instability; lack of equilibrium in a system. Used in economics, psychology, and physics to describe systems that are not in stable balance.
From Latin 'dis-' (away from) + 'aequilibrium' (equal balance), from 'aequus' (equal) + 'libra' (balance, scales). The term developed in scientific contexts in the 19th century as understanding of dynamic systems advanced.
The 'libra' root connects to the zodiac sign Libra (the scales) and 'library' (originally a place where books were weighed and balanced)! Disequilibrium literally means being 'away from the scales'—when the cosmic or economic scales are tipped and things are out of whack.
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