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delirium

[ dih-leer-ee-uhm ]
/ dɪˈlɪər i əm /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR delirium

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

Words nearby delirium

deliquescence, deliquescent, deliration, deliriant, delirious, delirium, delirium tremens, delish, delist, delitescence, delitescent
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to delirium

hallucination, fever, dementia, hysteria, aberration, fury, ardor, derangement, rage, insanity, ecstasy, mania, passion, fervor, enthusiasm, zeal, frenzy, raving, lunacy, furor

Example sentences from the Web for delirium

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-lîr′ē-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.