paroxysm

noun

par·​ox·​ysm ˈper-ək-ˌsi-zəm 

ˈpa-rək-,

also

pə-ˈräk- 

1

: a fit, attack, or sudden increase or recurrence of symptoms (as of a disease) : convulsion

a paroxysm of coughing

convulsed … in the paroxysms of an epileptic seizure

—Thomas Hardy

2

: a sudden violent emotion or action : outburst

a paroxysm of rage

a paroxysm of laughter

paroxysmal

ˌper-ək-ˈsiz-məl 

ˌpa-rək-

 also  pə-ˌräk-

adjective

Did you know?

Paroxysm didn't just burst onto the scene recently; its roots go back to ancient Greek. The word ultimately erupted from the Greek verb paroxynein, which means "to stimulate." (Oxynein, a parent of paroxynein, means "to provoke" and comes from oxys, a Greek word for "sharp.") In its earliest known English uses in the 15th century, paroxysm referred to a sudden attack or increase of symptoms of a disease—such as pain, coughing, shaking, etc.—that often occur again and again. This sense is still in use, but paroxysm soon took on a broader and now much more common sense referring to an outburst, especially a dramatic physical or emotional one, as in "paroxysms of rage/laughter/joy/delight/guilt."

Synonyms

• agony
• blaze
• burst
• ebullition
• eruption
• explosion
• fit
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flush
• gale
• gush
• gust
• outburst
• spasm
• storm

Examples of paroxysm in a Sentence

He went into paroxysms of laughter.

a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall

Recent Examples on the Web

Henry, afflicted by a psychic link to the monsters behind the veil of the Stranger Things universe, has to go into writhing, spitting paroxysms at least once every 20 minutes or so. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025

The system came crashing down in a paroxysm of raw power politics, and the world was set ablaze. —Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

Sudden fits or attacks, known as paroxysms, of rapid coughs. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025

For Fu, a 24-year-old graduate student in Beijing, this month’s paroxysms don’t change much on the ground. —Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English paroxism, from Medieval Latin paroxysmus, from Greek paroxysmos, from paroxynein to stimulate, from para- + oxynein to provoke, from oxys sharp — more at oxygen

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

paroxysm

noun

par·​ox·​ysm ˈpar-ək-ˌsiz-əm 

1

: a fit, attack, or sudden increase of symptoms (as of a disease) that occurs, quiets down, and occurs again and again

a paroxysm of coughing

2

: a sudden violent emotion or action

paroxysms of rage

Medical Definition

paroxysm

noun

par·​ox·​ysm

ˈpar-ək-ˌsiz-əm also pə-ˈräk-

1

: a sudden attack or spasm (as of a disease)

2

: a sudden recurrence of symptoms or an intensification of existing symptoms

pain occurred in frequent paroxysms

—Therapeutic Notes