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

At higher doses, kratom can be used as a sedative and potentially cause psychosis. —Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025

By shedding light on what AI actually consists of, this can be instrumental in contending with AI psychosis. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Eleanora’s psychosis takes on richer meaning as the acting slows and characters are forced to confront one another — and themselves. —Blake Simons, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025

Effective therapies include talk therapy, social skills training and cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis, Weinberger and D’Souza said. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 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