adjective
-
affected with delirium
-
wildly excited, esp with joy or enthusiasm
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of delirious
First recorded in 1590–1600; deliri(um) + -ous
Explanation
If you're delirious you're uncontrollably excited or a bit crazy, like when you win the lottery and run screaming through the streets, delirious with happiness. While we sometimes like to say, metaphorically, that strong emotions make us delirious, this adjective has more grim origins, in the Latin word for delirium or "madness" — in the medical sense, that is. When you're delirious from a high fever or a serious bump to the head, you might become incoherent, hallucinate, or have disturbing dreams. The story of The Wizard of Oz is based on the delirious dream Dorothy has after she bumps her head during a tornado.
Vocabulary lists containing delirious
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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Holes
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Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The noise - lasting and deafening - rose up and swirled around like a typhoon, gathering up everybody in its vicinity, delirious Hearts folk thrilled to be sucked into the vortex.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Joe stepped off the curb with a massive smile, and for a second I just stood there, jetlagged and slightly delirious.
From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026
It’s almost a magic trick that, after his delirious first hour, Lapid has an entirely different emotional register in store.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Gordon left the field to the sound of his name being chanted by those delirious Newcastle supporters in the away end.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
I realized that he probably did not remember, since he had been sick and delirious at the time.
From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
