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schizophrenia

American  
[skit-suh-free-nee-uh, -freen-yuh] / ˌskɪt səˈfri ni ə, -ˈfrin yə /

noun

  1. Formerly dementia praecoxPsychiatry. a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by emotional blunting, intellectual deterioration, social isolation, disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, hallucinations, or a combination of any of these symptoms.

  2. Sometimes Offensive. a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements.


schizophrenia British  
/ ˌskɪtsəʊˈfriːnɪə /

noun

  1. any of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of the personality, withdrawal from reality, hallucinations, delusions, social apathy, emotional instability, etc See catatonia hebephrenia paranoia

  2. informal behaviour that appears to be motivated by contradictory or conflicting principles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

schizophrenia Scientific  
/ skĭt′sə-frēnē-ə,skĭt′sə- /
  1. Any of a group of psychiatric disorders characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, hallucinations, and psychotic behavior. Schizophrenia is associated with an imbalance of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain and may have an underlying genetic cause.


schizophrenia Cultural  
  1. A form of psychosis marked by a strong tendency to dissociate oneself from reality. Schizophrenia is often characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and inappropriate reactions to situations. The word schizophrenia is often used informally as well as scientifically to indicate a split personality.


Other Word Forms

  • nonschizophrenic adjective
  • schizophrenic adjective
  • unschizophrenic adjective

Etymology

Origin of schizophrenia

First recorded in 1910–15; schizo- + -phrenia

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In his police interview, he told officers he had schizophrenia and had been hearing voices in his head.

From BBC

Three psychiatrists who assessed Skebas agreed he had schizophrenia and was showing symptoms of psychosis on the day he killed Lilia.

From BBC

Evidence will be heard relating to the actions of agencies that had previously dealt with Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

From BBC

The secretary also recently declared that the ketogenic diet can cure schizophrenia, a fringe idea that has been rejected by every expert in the field.

From Salon

Understanding the biological basis of subjective experience may help researchers develop better therapies for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia by narrowing the gap between animal studies and human emotional experience.

From Science Daily