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View synonyms for delirium

delirium

[ dih-leer-ee-uhm ]

noun

, plural de·lir·i·ums, de·lir·i·a [dih-, leer, -ee-, uh].
  1. Pathology. a more or less temporary disorder of the mental faculties, as in fevers, disturbances of consciousness, or intoxication, characterized by restlessness, excitement, delusions, hallucinations, etc.
  2. a state of violent excitement or emotion.


delirium

/ dɪˈlɪrɪəm /

noun

  1. a state of excitement and mental confusion, often accompanied by hallucinations, caused by high fever, poisoning, brain injury, etc
  2. violent excitement or emotion; frenzy


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Derived Forms

  • deˈliriant, adjective

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Other Words From

  • semi·de·liri·um noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of delirium1

1590–1600; < Latin dēlīrium frenzy, equivalent to dēlīr ( āre ) ( deliration ) + -ium -ium

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Word History and Origins

Origin of delirium1

C16: from Latin: madness, from dēlīrāre, literally: to swerve from a furrow, hence be crazy, from de- + līra ridge, furrow

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Example Sentences

We were able to mitigate that person’s delirium, but these are the things that happen when you run out of space.

He described the behavior as a medical condition known as excited delirium.

In the Chauvin case, there are autopsies with different findings, and the disputed concept of “excited delirium” has already surfaced in pretrial paperwork.

From Time

Smoking or inhaling cannabis can cause delirium and other psychoactive reactions, and can be toxic if used too heavily.

It was just such delirium," Gad says, "that two actors who had basically never used their hands for physical labor were suddenly working with saws and jackhammers.

I spend waking hours in a fog of delirium, punctuated by uncontrollable giggle fits, heart palpitations, and mental anguish.

It's not delirium tremors and chromosome breakage and only a small number of users would be seriously harmed.

After Joe watches her father suffer delirium in the hospital, she says she felt "nothing" when he dies.

And they reacted to the announcement with measured delirium, sending equities to their highest levels in nearly four years.

Republicans were never overwhelmed by Mitt Romney; the Democratic delirium for Barack Obama faded two recovery summers ago.

I nursed him through several attacks of delirium tremens, and was always in fear that he would get out and disgrace us.

During the delirium of the fever, Dorothy raved continually about her mother, and dared not be left a moment alone in the dark.

The head is painful, and the patient is now and then even affected with delirium.

The deep-set eyes of the soldier glowed with an unnatural fire, and he was muttering to himself, as if in delirium.

It is most frequent among those whose addiction to alcohol for years has caused repeated paroxysms of delirium tremens.

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deliriousdelirium tremens