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catatonia

Syllabification: (cat·a·to·ni·a)
Pronunciation: /ˌkatəˈtōnēə/
Definition of catatonia

noun

Psychiatry
  • abnormality of movement and behavior arising from a disturbed mental state (typically schizophrenia). It may involve repetitive or purposeless overactivity, or catalepsy, resistance to passive movement, and negativism.
  • informal a state of immobility and stupor.

Origin:

late 19th century: from cata- 'badly' + Greek tonos 'tone or tension'

catatonia in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of catatonia in the British & World English dictionary