psychosis

American  

[sahy-koh-sis] / saɪˈkoʊ sɪs /

noun

Psychiatry.

plural

psychoses

1. a mental disorder characterized by symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, that indicate impaired contact with reality.

2. any severe form of mental disorder, as schizophrenia or paranoia.

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psychosis British  

/ saɪˈkəʊsɪs /

noun

1. any form of severe mental disorder in which the individual's contact with reality becomes highly distorted Compare neurosis

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psychosis Scientific  

/ sī-kō′sĭs /

plural

psychoses

1. A mental state caused by psychiatric or organic illness, characterized by a loss of contact with reality and an inability to think rationally. A psychotic person often behaves inappropriately and is incapable of normal social functioning.

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psychosis Cultural  

1. A severe mental disorder, more serious than neurosis, characterized by disorganized thought processes, disorientation in time and space, hallucinations, and delusions. Paranoia, manic depression, megalomania, and schizophrenia are all psychoses. One who suffers from psychosis is psychotic.

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Etymology

Origin of psychosis

First recorded in 1840–50, psychosis is from the Late Greek word psȳ́chōsis animation, principle of life. See psych-, -osis

Compare meaning

How does psychosis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• neurosis vs. psychosis

Example Sentences

Postpartum psychosis is a rare but severe mental illness that begins suddenly in the days or week after birth, affecting around one in 1,000 mothers.

From BBC

She said her family were told there were no available beds in Leeds - Yorkshire's only MBU - with Lizzy sent to the closest available unit able to treat psychosis and severe postnatal depression.

From BBC

It adds to a growing body of legal cases alleging artificial-intelligence-related harms, including psychosis.

From The Wall Street Journal

Three psychiatrists who assessed Skebas agreed he had schizophrenia and was showing symptoms of psychosis on the day he killed Lilia.

From BBC

Calocane, who had suffered with paranoid delusions and symptoms of psychosis, had also researched "mind control technology".

From BBC

Related Words

• absurdity
• alienation
• craziness
• folly
• frenzy
• hysteria
• irresponsibility
• lunacy
• madness
• mental disorder