schizophrenia

American  

[skit-suh-free-nee-uh, -freen-yuh] / ˌskɪt səˈfri ni ə, -ˈfrin yə /

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.

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schizophrenia British  

/ 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

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schizophrenia Scientific  

/ skĭt′sə-frē′nē-ə,skĭt′sə- /

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.

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schizophrenia Cultural  

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.

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Other Word Forms

• nonschizophrenic adjective
• schizophrenic adjective
• unschizophrenic adjective

Etymology

Origin of schizophrenia

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

Compare meaning

How does schizophrenia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• schizoid vs. schizophrenia

Example Sentences

"We are quite confident this circuit is one of the mechanisms that contributes to the cognitive impairment that is a major part of the pathology of schizophrenia."

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Although only a small fraction of schizophrenia patients carry mutations in grin2a, the researchers suggest that dysfunction in this circuit may represent a shared mechanism underlying cognitive impairments in some patients.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The mutation occurs in a gene called grin2a, which had previously been flagged in large genetic studies of schizophrenia.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

She had paranoid schizophrenia among other mental health conditions.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

They weren't partial or biased, just very persuasive in detailing how organic brain damage, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder can conspire to create severe mental impairment.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson