psychosis

From psych- +‎ -osis or from Ancient Greek ψύχωσις (psúkhōsis, “animation, principle of life”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /saɪˈkəʊsɪs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /saɪˈkoʊsɪs/
• Rhymes: -əʊsɪs
• Homophone: sycosis
• Hyphenation: psych‧o‧sis

psychosis (countable and uncountable, plural psychoses)

1. (psychology) A severe mental disorder, sometimes with physical damage to the brain, marked by a deranged personality and a distorted view of reality.
   • 2014 April 21, “Subtle effects”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8884:

     Manganism has been known about since the 19th century, when miners exposed to ores containing manganese […] began to totter, slur their speech and behave like someone inebriated. The poisoning was irreversible, and soon ended in psychosis and death.