psychosis

noun psy·cho·sis \ sī-ˈkō-səs \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of psychosis

plural psychoses play \sī-ˈkō-ˌsēz\

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

See psychosis defined for English-language learners

See psychosis defined for kids

Examples of psychosis in a Sentence

The patient suffers from some kind of psychosis.

Recent Examples of psychosis from the Web

Lisa Abramson is speaking out about her descent into postpartum depression and psychosis, to help break the deafening silence on maternal mental health issues.

— Health.com, "Suicidal After Her Daughter’s Birth, This Mom Spent 10 Days in a Psych Ward: ‘I Had to Stop Trying to Be Superwoman’," 10 Apr. 2018
The psychosis and illness combined with the alcohol made this individual sadly unreasonable.

— michael gordon, charlotteobserver, "Lawsuit over 2013 police shooting of Charlotte man goes to jury today | Charlotte Observer," 9 Apr. 2018
Edwards’ patients have conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to psychosis.

— NBC News, "Psychiatrist stays close to home and true to her childhood promise," 4 Apr. 2018
Edwards’ patients have conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to psychosis.

— Washington Post, "Psychiatrist Stays Close To Home And True To Her Childhood Promise," 3 Apr. 2018
But these institutions, particularly the state hospitals, soon became repositories for society’s unwanted and adrift, alcoholics, the indigent and vagrant, mixed in with those experiencing psychosis and severe mood problems.

— benedict carey, New York Times, "Trump Wants More Asylums — and Some Psychiatrists Agree," 5 Mar. 2018
Substance use, which can increase the risk of crime or psychosis, can also lead to intentions to harm others.

— arash javanbakht, CBS News, "Guns and mental illness: How do you judge who shouldn't get weapons?," 1 Mar. 2018
Most were interviewed by police and other authorities immediately after the crime, but none mentioned anything like psychosis before meeting Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg and Dr. Karen Rosenbaum.

— maureen o'connor, The Cut, "A Crucial Question at the Nanny Trial: Is She Faking Her Hallucinations?," 28 Mar. 2018
But the ultimate result will be more psychosis, repression and anxiety on the individual level.

— robert d. kaplan, WSJ, "How Russia and China Could Come Unhinged," 23 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of psychosis

New Latin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1847

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, schadenfreude, subliminal

PSYCHOSIS Defined for English Language Learners

psychosis

noun

Definition of psychosis for English Language Learners

: a very serious mental illness that makes you behave strangely or believe things that are not true

Medical Dictionary

psychosis

noun psy·cho·sis \ sī-ˈkō-səs \

medical Definition of psychosis

plural psychoses play \-ˌsēz\

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

Learn More about psychosis

See words that rhyme with psychosis Spanish Central: Translation of psychosis Nglish: Translation of psychosis for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about psychosis

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psychosis

Definition of psychosis

Examples of psychosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples of psychosis from the Web

Origin and Etymology of psychosis

Other Psychology Terms

PSYCHOSIS Defined for English Language Learners

psychosis

Definition of psychosis for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

psychosis

medical Definition of psychosis

Learn More about psychosis

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psychosis

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