catatonia

[ kat-uh-toh-nee-uh, -tohn-yuh ]
/ ˌkæt əˈtoʊ ni ə, -ˈtoʊn yə /

noun Psychiatry.

a syndrome seen most frequently in schizophrenia, characterized by muscular rigidity and mental stupor, sometimes alternating with great excitement and confusion.

Origin of catatonia

First recorded in 1915–20; cata- + -tonia

OTHER WORDS FROM catatonia

cat·a·to·ni·ac, noun cat·a·ton·ic [kat-uh-ton-ik] /ˌkæt əˈtɒn ɪk/, adjective, noun

Example sentences from the Web for catatonia

  • It is true that it is frequent in catatonia but is not exclusively there.

    Benign Stupors |August Hoch
  • Fortunately Kahlbaum prevented serious error by leaving the prognosis of his catatonia open.

    Benign Stupors |August Hoch
  • Taxonomic zeal began to blind vision when Kahlbaum formulated his "Catatonia" and included stupor in the symptom complex.

    Benign Stupors |August Hoch
  • Then you can check your notes and decide if it's schizophrenia, or catatonia, or psychasthenia, or what not.

    A Thought For Tomorrow |Robert E. Gilbert

British Dictionary definitions for catatonia

catatonia
/ (ˌkætəˈtəʊnɪə) /

noun

a state of muscular rigidity and stupor, sometimes found in schizophrenia

Derived forms of catatonia

catatonic (ˌkætəˈtɒnɪk), adjective, noun

Word Origin for catatonia

C20: New Latin, from German Katatonie, from cata- + -tonia, from Greek tonos tension

Medical definitions for catatonia

catatonia
[ kăt′ə-tōnē-ə ]

n.

An abnormal condition often associated with schizophrenia and variously characterized by stupor, stereotypy, mania, and either rigidity or extreme flexibility of the limbs.

Other words from catatonia

cat′a•tonic (-tŏnĭk) adj.