Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

delirium

Syllabification: (de·lir·i·um)
Pronunciation: /diˈli(ə)rēəm/

Translate delirium | into German | into Italian
Definition of delirium

noun

  • an acutely disturbed state of mind that occurs in fever, intoxication, and other disorders and is characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence of thought and speech.
  • wild excitement or ecstasy.

Origin:

mid 16th century: from Latin, from delirare 'deviate, be deranged' (literally 'deviate from the furrow'), from de- 'away' + lira 'ridge between furrows'

delirium in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of delirium in the British & World English dictionary