Lexic.us

Definition of Hysteria

1. Noun. State of violent mental agitation.

2. Noun. Excessive or uncontrollable fear.

3. Noun. Neurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks and disturbances of sensory and motor functions.

Definition of Hysteria

1. n. A nervous affection, occurring almost exclusively in women, in which the emotional and reflex excitability is exaggerated, and the will power correspondingly diminished, so that the patient loses control over the emotions, becomes the victim of imaginary sensations, and often falls into paroxism or fits.

Definition of Hysteria

1. Noun. Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic. ¹

2. Noun. (medicine) A mental disorder characterized by emotional excitability etc. without an organic cause. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Hysteria

1. uncontrollable excitement or fear [n -S]

Medical Definition of Hysteria

1. A nervous affection, occurring almost exclusively in women, in which the emotional and reflex excitability is exaggerated, and the will power correspondingly diminished, so that the patient loses control over the emotions, becomes the victim of imaginary sensations, and often falls into paroxism or fits. The chief symptoms are convulsive, tossing movements of the limbs and head, uncontrollable crying and laughing, and a choking sensation as if a ball were lodged in the throat. The affection presents the most varied symptoms, often simulating those of the gravest diseases, but generally curable by mental treatment alone. Origin: NL., cf. F. Hysterie. See Hysteric. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Hysteria

hyssops hysteralgia hysteranthous hysteratresia hysterectomies hysterectomized hystereses hysteresis hysteresis loop hysteresis motor

hysteretic hysteretical hysteretically hystereurysis hysteria (current term) hysterias hysteric hysterical hysterical amblyopia hysterical anaesthesia

hysterical ataxia hysterical blindness hysterical chorea hysterical convulsion hysterical deafness hysterical gait hysterical joint hysterical neurosis hysterical paralysis

Literary usage of Hysteria

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by American Neurological Association, Philadelphia Neurological Society, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association, Boston Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (1898)
"In the consideration of hysteria without convulsions he shows that in these cases ... Similar conditions were noted in the cases of hysteria with convulsive ..."

2. Edinburgh Medical Journal (1882)
"Thus considered, laryngeal hysteria constitutes one of the most ... Cases of laryngeal hysteria are very frequent, almost as frequent as cases of ..."

3. Multiple Personality: An Experimental Investigation Into the Nature of Human by Boris Sidis, Simon Philip Goodhart (1905)
"What the term hysteria denotes is rarely defined, though it seems to connote much to the mind of the medical student. To^ some, hysteria is only a matter of ..."

4. Nervous and Mental Diseases by Archibald Church, Frederick Peterson (1919)
"For many years the mental element in hysteria was at least partially recognized. Moe- bius used the definition, "A state in which ideas control the body and ..."

5. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by Philadelphia Neurological Society, American Neurological Association, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association (1899)
"A diagnosis of hysteria was made. There was anesthesia of both shoulders, dorsal surface of the hands, and extensor surface of the forearms. ..."

6. A Treatise on the practice of medicine by Roberts Bartholow (1898)
"hysteria. Definition.—hysteria is a functional nervous trouble, characterized by various motor, sensory, and intellectual disturbances, and by «• cessive ..."

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