psychosis

English

Etymology

From psych- + -osis or from Ancient Greek ψύχωσις (psúkhōsis, animation, principle of life).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /saɪˈkəʊsɪs/
  • (file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /saɪˈkoʊsɪs/
  • Rhymes: -əʊsɪs
  • Homophone: sycosis
  • Hyphenation: psych‧o‧sis

Noun

psychosis (countable and uncountable, plural psychoses)

  1. (psychology) A severe mental disorder, sometimes with physical damage to the brain, marked by a deranged personality and a distorted view of reality.
    • 2014 April 21, “Subtle effects”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8884:
      Manganism has been known about since the 19th century, when miners exposed to ores containing manganese [] began to totter, slur their speech and behave like someone inebriated. The poisoning was irreversible, and soon ended in psychosis and death.

Derived terms

Translations

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