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delirium

[ dih-leer-ee-uhm ]
/ dɪˈlɪər i əm /
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noun, plural de·lir·i·ums, de·lir·i·a [dih-leer-ee-uh]. /dɪˈlɪər i ə/.
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.
a state of violent excitement or emotion.
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Origin of delirium

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

OTHER WORDS FROM delirium

sem·i·de·lir·i·um, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use delirium in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for delirium

delirium
/ (dɪˈlɪrɪəm) /

noun plural -liriums or -liria (-ˈlɪrɪə)
a state of excitement and mental confusion, often accompanied by hallucinations, caused by high fever, poisoning, brain injury, etc
violent excitement or emotion; frenzy

Derived forms of delirium

deliriant, adjective

Word Origin for delirium

C16: from Latin: madness, from dēlīrāre, literally: to swerve from a furrow, hence be crazy, from de- + līra ridge, furrow
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

Medical definitions for delirium

delirium
[ dĭ-lîrē-əm ]

n. pl. de•lir•i•ums
A temporary state of mental confusion resulting from high fever, intoxication, shock, or other causes, and characterized by anxiety, disorientation, memory impairment, hallucinations, trembling, and incoherent speech.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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