[kat-uh-toh-nee-uh, -tohn-yuh] /ˌkæt əˈtoʊ ni ə, -ˈtoʊn yə/
noun, Psychiatry.
1.
a syndrome seen most frequently in schizophrenia, characterized by muscular rigidity and mental stupor, sometimes alternating with great excitement and confusion.
A catatonia rating scale has been developed to identify the syndrome.
British Dictionary definitions for catatonia
catatonia
/ˌkætəˈtəʊnɪə/
noun
1.
a state of muscular rigidity and stupor, sometimes found in schizophrenia
Derived Forms
catatonic (ˌkætəˈtɒnɪk) adjective, noun
Word Origin
C20: New Latin, from German Katatonie, from cata- + -tonia, from Greek tonos tension
Word Origin and History for catatonia
n.
1888, from medical Latin catatonia; replacing katatonia (1880s), which was formed directly from Greek kata- "down" (see cata-) + tonos "tone" (see tenet).
catatonia in Medicine
catatonia cat·a·to·ni·a (kāt'ə-tō'nē-ə) n. An abnormal condition often associated with schizophrenia and variously characterized by stupor, stereotypy, mania, and either rigidity or extreme flexibility of the limbs.