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

The center wasn’t equipped to treat people with schizophrenia or psychosis disorders, according to Haelle. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Jan. 2025

In 2014, Congress began earmarking funds for states to establish programs for first-episode psychosis, to be provided at no out-of-pocket cost to patients. —Ellen Barry, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024

The setup of Eggers’s Nosferatu is essentially unchanged from its prior tellings: Thomas Hutter (a sweaty, often-trembling Nicholas Hoult) is a well-meaning real-estate agent married to Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a young woman prone to spells of psychosis. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024

Funded by the Wellcome Trust, the study included 345 participants with psychosis. —Irenie Forshaw, theweek, 30 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