schizoid

American  

[skit-soid] / ˈskɪt sɔɪd /

adjective

1. Psychology.  of or relating to a personality disorder marked by dissociation, passivity, withdrawal, inability to form warm social relationships, and indifference to praise or criticism.

2. Informal.  of or relating to schizophrenia or to multiple personality.

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noun

1. a schizoid person.

schizoid British  

/ ˈskɪtsɔɪd /

adjective

1. psychol denoting a personality disorder characterized by lack of close relationships with other people and more than usual self-absorption

2. informal  characterized by or showing conflicting or contradictory attitudes, ideas, etc

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noun

1. a person who has a schizoid personality

Usage

Rather than referring to someone as a schizoid it is better to talk about a person with a schizoid personality disorder

Other Word Forms

• unschizoid adjective

Etymology

Origin of schizoid

1920–25; schiz- ( def. ) + -oid

Compare meaning

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

• schizoid vs. schizophrenia

Example Sentences

Landy concluded Wilson suffered from a schizoid personality with manic depressive features — introverted, painfully shy, unable to show emotion.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s also a reminder that the nuclear-age ’50s were the last great movie era to turn universal terror into merrily schizoid audience fare.

From Los Angeles Times

Masursky cited numerous mental health issues Dervish dealt with including psychosis, autism with schizoid features and clinical depression.

From Seattle Times

The effect is a little schizoid, however, and it’s hard to know how to take the series at first, what’s meant to be funny ha-ha and what’s meant to be funny strange.

From Los Angeles Times

As the title implies, “Mother/Android” is a bit of a schizoid thing.

From Washington Post