paranoia
paranoia Lexical Profile
paranoia Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An unjustified or exaggerated suspicion and mistrust of other people, or the irrational belief that one is being targeted or persecuted.
"A sense of paranoia swept through the office after rumors of upcoming layoffs began to circulate."
A psychiatric condition or symptom characterized by systematic, persistent delusions of persecution, conspiracy, or grandeur, typically occurring without hallucinations.
"The psychiatrist noted that the patient's severe paranoia was a key symptom of an underlying delusional disorder."
• Rhymes for paranoia
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Modern Latin from Ancient Greek 'paranoia' (madness, derangement), formed from 'para-' (beside, beyond) and 'noos' (mind). Originally used by ancient Greek physicians as a broad term for insanity, it was revived in 19th-century psychiatry to describe specific delusional disorders.