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dementia
[ dih-men-shuh, -shee-uh ]
/ dɪˈmɛn ʃə, -ʃi ə /
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noun
a condition characterized by progressive, persistent, severe impairment of intellectual capacity, including memory loss, confusion, and emotional instability, resulting from the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.
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Origin of dementia
First recorded in 1800–10; from Latin dēmentia “madness,” equivalent to dēment- “out of one's mind” (see dement) + -ia noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM dementia
de·men·tial, adjectiveWords nearby dementia
demeanour, demeclocycline, dement, demented, démenti, dementia, dementia praecox, dementia pugilistica, demento, demerara, demerge
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dementia in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for dementia
dementia
/ (dɪˈmɛnʃə, -ʃɪə) /
noun
a state of serious emotional and mental deterioration, of organic or functional origin
Word Origin for dementia
C19: from Latin: madness; see dement
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
Scientific definitions for dementia
dementia
[ dĭ-mĕn′shə ]
Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes. Dementia is caused by organic damage to the brain (as in Alzheimer's disease), head trauma, metabolic disorders, or the presence of a tumor.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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