schizophrenia

[skit-suh-free-nee-uh, -freen-yuh]

noun

1. Formerly dementia praecox. Psychiatry.,  a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by emotional blunting, intellectual deterioration, social isolation, disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, hallucinations, or a combination of any of these symptoms.

2. Sometimes Offensive.,  a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements.

schizophrenia

/ ˌskɪtsəʊˈfriːnɪə /

noun

1. any of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of the personality, withdrawal from reality, hallucinations, delusions, social apathy, emotional instability, etc See catatonia hebephrenia paranoia

2. informal,  behaviour that appears to be motivated by contradictory or conflicting principles

schizophrenia

1. Any of a group of psychiatric disorders characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, hallucinations, and psychotic behavior. Schizophrenia is associated with an imbalance of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain and may have an underlying genetic cause.

schizophrenia

1. A form of psychosis marked by a strong tendency to dissociate oneself from reality. Schizophrenia is often characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and inappropriate reactions to situations. The word schizophrenia is often used informally as well as scientifically to indicate a split personality.

Other Word Forms

• schizophrenic adjective
• nonschizophrenic adjective
• unschizophrenic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of schizophrenia¹

First recorded in 1910–15; schizo- + -phrenia

Word History and Origins

Origin of schizophrenia¹

C20: from _schizo- + Greek phrēn mind + _-ia

Example Sentences

Looking at his genome, and comparing it with polygenic scores, they found that Hitler had a high predisposition for autism, ADHD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

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He has already developed PRS models for several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression -- all of which were used in this new study.

Read more on Science Daily

Orchid charges $2,500 per embryo to run a slate of genetic tests and produce a “risk score” for diseases including Alzheimer’s, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Another family had already raised concerns about the school's support for their daughter, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

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The couple had two sons, Rufus, who developed schizophrenia in his teens, and Duncan.

Read more on Los Angeles Times