psychosis

noun

psy·​cho·​sis sī-ˈkō-səs 

plural psychoses sī-ˈkō-ˌsēz 

: a serious mental illness (such as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions

Examples of psychosis in a Sentence

The patient suffers from some kind of psychosis.

Recent Examples on the Web

Long term effects can include memory loss, psychosis, depression, numbness, or birth defects if the drug is used during pregnancy. —Jillian Frankel, People.com, 22 May 2025

Already, reviews are raving about Lawrence’s performance as a woman who experiences postpartum depression and develops psychosis, opposite Robert Pattinson as her unfaithful husband. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 May 2025

What Specific Medications Can Lead To Tardive Dyskinesia The most common causes of TD are antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia and other conditions that can cause psychosis, hence the name anti-psychotics. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Each serious bout of psychosis causes damage to the brain that can lead to neurocognitive deficits. —Calmatters, Mercury News, 5 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for psychosis

• cirrhosis
• fibrosis
• gliosis
• hypnosis
• ichthyosis
• ketosis
• kurtosis
• lordosis
• meiosis
• miosis
• mitosis
• mycosis

Kids Definition

psychosis

noun

psy·​cho·​sis sī-ˈkō-səs 

plural psychoses -ˈkō-ˌsēz 

: a serious mental illness marked by loss of or greatly lessened ability to test whether what one is thinking and feeling about the real world is really true

Medical Definition

psychosis

noun

psy·​cho·​sis sī-ˈkō-səs 

plural psychoses -ˌsēz 

: a serious mental illness (as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions