psychosis

[sahy-koh-sis]

noun

Psychiatry.

plural

psychoses 

1. a mental disorder characterized by symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, that indicate impaired contact with reality.

2. any severe form of mental disorder, as schizophrenia or paranoia.

psychosis

/ saɪˈkəʊsɪs /

noun

1. any form of severe mental disorder in which the individual's contact with reality becomes highly distorted Compare neurosis

psychosis

plural

psychoses 

1. A mental state caused by psychiatric or organic illness, characterized by a loss of contact with reality and an inability to think rationally. A psychotic person often behaves inappropriately and is incapable of normal social functioning.

psychosis

1. A severe mental disorder, more serious than neurosis, characterized by disorganized thought processes, disorientation in time and space, hallucinations, and delusions. Paranoia, manic depression, megalomania, and schizophrenia are all psychoses. One who suffers from psychosis is psychotic.

Word History and Origins

Origin of psychosis¹

First recorded in 1840–50, psychosis is from the Late Greek word psȳ́chōsis animation, principle of life. See psych-, -osis

Word History and Origins

Origin of psychosis¹

C19: New Latin, from _psycho- + _-osis

Example Sentences

A man accused of murdering his Scottish wife in Los Angeles may have been experiencing a state of psychosis at the time, his lawyer has claimed.

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“Driven by isolation, psychosis and an all-consuming obsession with his mother, Gein’s perverse crimes birthed a new kind of monster that would haunt Hollywood for decades.”

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Unlike Ari Aster’s “Eddington,” which spent far too much time telling the viewer exactly what they already knew about our postmodern psychosis, Anderson grapples with not just what humanity is, but what it can become.

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He was diagnosed with a "drug induced psychosis or drug induced depressive psychosis".

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Clinicians also warn of "AI psychosis" - where someone loses touch with reality after intense use of chatbots.

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Related Words

• absurdity 
• alienation 
• craziness 
• folly 
• frenzy 
• hysteria 
• irresponsibility www.thesaurus.com
• lunacy 
• madness 
• mental disorder