adjective
-
affected with delirium
-
wildly excited, esp with joy or enthusiasm
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
From that ordeal came “Deathfugue,” first appearing in 1947 in Romanian translation as “Death Tango,” a title that better suggests its delirious, macabre motion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
The corner is scrambled away to Ryan Giggs, who scuffs a shot goalward and a delirious Sheringham sweeps in, scouting over his shoulder to check the offside while wheeling away celebrating wildly.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
When he woke, still a little delirious, ElAttrache told him the news: “This was the worst injury I’ve ever seen of this kind, and I don’t know how you played,” Hernández recalled him saying.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
While the amount of great music we absorbed as a staff left us a little delirious, it ensured we’d have plenty of moments to recall for a highlight reel of Weekend 1.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
He was dreaming; he was delirious, and his voice sounded thick, as if his throat and mouth were swollen.
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.
