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

There is some history of psychosis, so that’s to be determined. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2025

For Jerry Kane, the sovereign citizen movement is something between a political philosophy and a burgeoning psychosis. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 June 2025

In their new thriller Die, My Love, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson play new parents grappling with Lawrence’s character’s severe postpartum depression and psychosis (a rare and very serious condition that can come on suddenly, but is reversible with treatment). —Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 May 2025

Will entered a state of psychosis, and to quench his thirst accidentally grabbed a jar of protein powder. —Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 13 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