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

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

The psychosis is like one of the three doors in the folk tales, the one that must never be opened no matter what. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024

His accusers, some of whom sought medical treatment, reported such side effects as hallucinations and psychosis. —Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 12 Sep. 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