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

Within those intricate details might be the source of how the AI psychosis emerged. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026

The peak of a psychedelic experience can therefore share similarities with psychosis; and, for people with undiagnosed underlying conditions, this can increase the severity of manic and psychotic symptoms, as the findings of a recent paper concluded. —Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2026

If zombie-ism is mass psychosis, an infectious disease passed from person to person, maybe there’s a way to treat it, a way to wake up from the fog. —Katie Walsh, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026

However, the docuseries does not mention how, according to testimony at Andrea's trial, doctors specifically advised Rusty to not leave Andrea alone with the children in the midst of her depression and psychosis. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026

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