mass hysteria

American  

noun

Psychology.

1. a condition affecting a group of persons, characterized by excitement or anxiety, irrational behavior or beliefs, or inexplicable symptoms of illness.

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Etymology

Origin of mass hysteria

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Mass hysteria, manifesting as uncontrollable dancing, laughing, twitching or fainting fits, have been reported as far back as the 16th Century.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2015

Mass hysteria probably explains what happened in Salem, Massachusetts, several hundred years ago that resulted in the infamous witch trials there.

From Newsweek • Mar. 29, 2013

Mass hysteria is how a friend described it to me.

From New York Times • Aug. 9, 2011

"Mass hysteria in a situation like this is not uncommon," said Are Holen, a catastrophe researcher in Oslo.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mass hysteria, the old crutch, wasn't a factor because neither the press, the radio nor TV was even mentioning the words "flying saucer."

From The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Ruppelt, Edward J.