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

Psychiatric problems — marked anxiety or panic attacks progressing to temporary psychosis and even schizophrenia-like psychotic illness — are presenting more frequently in emergency rooms. —Dr. Jerrold B. Leikin, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024

The burden of justice:Delphi murder case jurors will face unimaginable pressure, life-changing decision Defense attorneys have countered that Allen is an innocent and mentally fragile man whose months-long isolation at Westville drove him to psychosis and to giving false confessions. —Kristine Phillips, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Nov. 2024

Some are faced with a more lethal and rare diagnosis: postpartum psychosis. —Theara Coleman, theweek, 18 Oct. 2024

Such reasoning often derives from depression rather than psychosis, though some clinicians are reluctant to draw a categorical distinction. —Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

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