staggered terms. Membership terms for a firm's directors that expire in different years. A firm with 12 directors might have 4-year terms with 3 seats up for election each year. Staggered terms make it more difficult for a raider to gain control of a board.
Definition of mood disorder. : any of several psychological disorders (as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) characterized by abnormalities of emotional state âcalled also affective disorder.
If mild and occasional, the feelings may be normal. If more severe, they may be a sign of a major depressive disorder or dysthymic reaction or be symptomatic of a bipolar disorder. Other mood disorders may be caused by a general medical condition. Mood disorder is a DSM-IV term. Also called affective disorder.