pseudocyesis

American  

[soo-doh-sahy-ee-sis] / ˌsu doʊ saɪˈi sɪs /

noun

Pathology, Veterinary Pathology.

plural

pseudocyeses

1. false pregnancy.

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pseudocyesis British  

/ ˌsjuːdəʊsaɪˈiːsɪs /

noun

1. the technical name for phantom pregnancy

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Etymology

Origin of pseudocyesis

First recorded in 1810–20; pseudo- + cyesis

Example Sentences

That’s a huge drop since 1940, when the statistic was one case of pseudocyesis per 250 pregnancies—exactly the likelihood of natural twins.

From National Geographic • Sep. 11, 2023

Nonetheless, both federal prosecutor Roseann Ketchmark and the opposing expert witness forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz vehemently countered the diagnosis of pseudocyesis.

From Fox News • Dec. 31, 2020

This hinged on the claim that Montgomery was suffering from a rare condition called pseudocyesis that caused her to believe she was pregnant and thought that Stinnett’s baby was hers.

From Slate • Dec. 21, 2020

But pseudocyesis, if she had it, was a symptom of a bigger problem.

From New York Times • Dec. 18, 2020

We can readily believe how easy the deception might be when we recall the exact simulation of the fetal movements in instances of pseudocyesis.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)