Definition
nounA temporary mental state with a sudden onset, usually reversible, including symptoms of confusion, inability to concentrate, disorientation, anxiety, and sometimes hallucinations. Causes can include dehydration, drug intoxication, and severe infection.
nounWild, frenzied excitement or ecstasy.
Sentence Examples
Delirium of one person is called madness. Delirium of thousands of people is called religion.
We don't help racists promote their delirium caused by ignorance and stupidity.
That girl, locked inside her delirium, considers herself a princess.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *de
Proto-Indo-European *-h₁
Proto-Indo-European *déh₁
Proto-Italic *dē
Latin dē
Latin dē-
Proto-Indo-European *leys-
Proto-Indo-European *lóyseh₂
Proto-Italic *loizā
Latin līra
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Latin dēlīrō
Proto-Indo-European *-yós
Proto-Italic *-ios
Old Latin -ios
Latin -ius
Latin -ium
Latin dēlīriumbor.
English delirium
Borrowed from Latin dēlīrium (“derangement, madness”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The popular delirium [of the French Revolution] at first caught his enthusiastic mind."
— 1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], Tales of a Traveller, (please specify |part=1 to 4), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC:
"Better to decay in absolute delirium, than to be the victim of the methodical unreason of ill-bestowed love."
— 1826, [Mary Shelley], The Last Man. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:
"The evening wore away, and the long grass was silvery with dew; the consequence was what might have been expected,—next day, he was laid up with a violent cold; and the fever soon ran so high, that delirium came on; and before three days were past, his life hung upon a thread."
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Return to Courtenaye Hall”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 149:
"the delirium of the preceding session (of Parliament)"
— 1879, John Morley, Burke: