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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
Psychiatric problems — marked anxiety or panic attacks progressing to temporary psychosis and even schizophrenia-like psychotic illness — are presenting more frequently in emergency rooms.
—Dr. Jerrold B. Leikin, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
The burden of justice:Delphi murder case jurors will face unimaginable pressure, life-changing decision
Defense attorneys have countered that Allen is an innocent and mentally fragile man whose months-long isolation at Westville drove him to psychosis and to giving false confessions.
—Kristine Phillips, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Nov. 2024
Some are faced with a more lethal and rare diagnosis: postpartum psychosis.
—Theara Coleman, theweek, 18 Oct. 2024
Such reasoning often derives from depression rather than psychosis, though some clinicians are reluctant to draw a categorical distinction.
—Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
New Latin
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near psychosis
Cite this Entry
“Psychosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychosis. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
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
More from Merriam-Webster on psychosis
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for psychosis
Nglish: Translation of psychosis for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about psychosis
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