abnormality of movement and behaviour 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:violent imagery and musical dissonance induce a state of catatonia
Origin:
late 19th century: from cata- 'badly' + Greek tonos 'tone or tension'
catatonia in other Oxford dictionaries
Definition of catatonia in the US English dictionary
