psychosis

[sahy-koh-sis] /saɪˈkoʊ sɪs/

noun, plural psychoses

[-seez] /-siz/ (Show IPA). Psychiatry.

a mental disorder characterized by symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, that indicate impaired contact with reality.

any severe form of mental disorder, as schizophrenia or paranoia.

Origin

1840-50; < Late Greek psȳ́chōsis animation, principle of life. See psych-, -osis

Examples from the web for psychosis

Symptoms of psychosis can become gradually or suddenly evident.
It's long been known that syphilis can trigger psychosis.
Some cases, however are severe enough to cause psychosis or delusions.
Surely the unfairness in treating psychosis is knowing when to listen to patients and how.
It has created a national psychosis way beyond the reality of things.
It has also been long noted that psychosis declines during wartime.
If the diagnosis of psychosis is in doubt, the jury may conclude that the defense is not based on a qualifying diagnosis.
The balance, that includes possible shift to psychosis and impaired cognition, is far from positive.
Fortunately, the burden of proof that must be met is based on science, not psychosis.
psychosis may give rise to elaborate narrative fantasies of good and evil and voices commanding some action.

British Dictionary definitions for psychosis

psychosis

/saɪˈkəʊsɪs/

noun (pl) -choses (-ˈkəʊsiːz)

any form of severe mental disorder in which the individual's contact with reality becomes highly distorted Compare neurosis

Word Origin

C19: New Latin, from psycho- + -osis

Word Origin and History for psychosis

1847, "mental derangement," Modern Latin, from Greek psykhe- "mind" (see psyche) + -osis "abnormal condition." Greek psykhosis meant "a giving of life; animation; principle of life."

psychosis in Medicine

psychosis psy·cho·sis (sī-kō'sĭs)
n. pl. psy·cho·ses (-sēz)
A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.

psychosis in Science

psychosis

(sī-kō'sĭs)
Plural psychoses (sī-kō'sēz)
A mental state caused by psychiatric or organic illness, characterized by a loss of contact with reality and an inability to think rationally. A psychotic person often behaves inappropriately and is incapable of normal social functioning.

psychotic adjective (sī-kŏt'ĭk)

psychosis in Culture

psychosis [(seye-koh-sis)]

A severe mental disorder, more serious than neurosis, characterized by disorganized thought processes, disorientation in time and space, hallucinations, and delusions. Paranoia, manic depression, megalomania, and schizophrenia are all psychoses. One who suffers from psychosis is psychotic.