dementia praecox

[ dih-men-shuh pree-koks ]

noun

, Psychiatry.

1. (no longer in technical use) schizophrenia.

dementia praecox

/ ˈpriːkɒks /

noun

1. a former name for schizophrenia

Word History and Origins

Origin of dementia praecox¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; from New Latin: “precocious dementia”

Word History and Origins

Origin of dementia praecox¹

C19: New Latin, literally: premature dementia