Hysteria

Pronunciation

• US IPA: en, /hɨˈstɛɹijÉ™/, /hɨˈstɪɹijÉ™/

Origin

From New Latin hysteria, from hysteric, from Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός ("suffering in the uterus, hysterical"), from ὑστέρα ("womb"). Compare .

Full definition of hysteria

Noun

1. Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic.
2. (medicine) A mental disorder characterized by emotional excitability etc. without an organic cause.
• 1974, Thomas S. Szasz, M.D., The Myth of Mental Illness Chapter 13
3. (informal, pathology) Synonym of en
4. (obsolete, pathology, until early 20th century) Any disorder of women with some psychiatric symptoms without other diagnosis, ascribed to uterine influences on the female body, lack of pregnancy, or lack of sex.

Synonyms

• (mental disorder) female hysteria
• (obsolete female disorder) uterine melancholy

Derived terms

Related terms

• hysteric, hysterics
• hysterical

Further reading

• Webster 1913
• Century 1911
• OneLook

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