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delirium

American  
[dih-leer-ee-uhm] / dɪˈlɪər i əm /

noun

plural

deliriums, deliria

  1. Pathology. a more or less temporary disorder of the mental faculties, as in fevers, disturbances of consciousness, or intoxication, characterized by restlessness, excitement, delusions, hallucinations, etc.

  2. a state of violent excitement or emotion.

delirium British  
/ dɪˈlɪrɪəm /

noun

  1. a state of excitement and mental confusion, often accompanied by hallucinations, caused by high fever, poisoning, brain injury, etc

  2. violent excitement or emotion; frenzy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • deliriant adjective
  • semidelirium noun

Etymology

Origin of delirium

1590–1600; < Latin dēlīrium frenzy, equivalent to dēlīr ( āre ) ( deliration ) + -ium -ium

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.