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hypochondriasis

noun hy·po·chon·dri·a·sis \ ˌhī-pə-kən-ˈdrī-ə-səs , -ˌkän- \

Updated on: 16 Mar 2018

Definition of hypochondriasis

plural hypochondriases play \ˌhī-pə-kən-ˈdrī-ə-ˌsēz, -ˌkän-\

: morbid concern about one's health especially when accompanied by delusions of physical disease : hypochondria of pathological proportions

Recent Examples of hypochondriasis from the Web

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders replaced hypochondriasis with two alternatives: somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder.

— emily sohn, Washington Post, "For people with severe health anxiety, the Internet can be a terrible place," 3 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hypochondriasis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of hypochondriasis

hypochondria + -asis, variant of -iasis

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1766

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

hypochondriasis

noun hy·po·chon·dri·a·sis \ -ˈdrī-ə-səs \

medical Definition of hypochondriasis

plural hypochondriases play \-ˌsēz\

: morbid concern about one's health especially when accompanied by delusions of physical disease

Learn More about hypochondriasis

See words that rhyme with hypochondriasis Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hypochondriasis

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