decoherence

First attested 1902 (OED), in the context of electrical engineering, in the sense of the resetting of a coherer. Decoherence is the verbal noun, standing besides decohesion, derived from decohere (also attested from 1902), the de- negative of cohere (17th century).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /diːkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/

decoherence (countable and uncountable, plural decoherences)

1. (physics) The process by which a quantum system interacts with its environment in such a way that no interference between states of the system can be observed.
2. (engineering, dated) The normal condition of sensitiveness in a coherer.

• decoherent