Lexic.us

Definition of Insanity

1. Noun. Relatively permanent disorder of the mind.

Definition of Insanity

1. n. The state of being insane; unsoundness or derangement of mind; madness; lunacy.

Definition of Insanity

1. Noun. The state of being insane; madness. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Insanity

1. the state of being insane; something utterly foolish [n -TIES]

Medical Definition of Insanity

1. 1. The state of being insane; unsoundness or derangement of mind; madness; lunacy. "All power of fancy overreason is a degree of insanity." (Johnson) "Without grace The heart's insanity admits no cure." (Cowper) 2. Such a mental condition, as, either from the existence of delusions, or from incapacity to distinguish between right and wrong, with regard to any matter under action, does away with individual responsibility. Synonym: Insanity, Lunacy, Madness, Derangement, Aliention, Aberration, Mania, Delirium, Frenzy, Monomania, Dementia. Insanity is the generic term for all such diseases; lunacy has now an equal extent of meaning, though once used to denote periodical insanity; madness has the same extent, though originally referring to the rage created by the disease; derangement, alienation, are popular terms for insanity; delirium, mania, and frenzy denote excited states of the disease; dementia denotes the loss of mental power by this means; monomania is insanity upon a single subject. Origin: L. Insanitas unsoundness; cf. Insania insanity, F. Insanite. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Insanity

Literary usage of Insanity

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

1. The Popular Science Monthly (1874)
"At first two kinds of insanity only seem to have been recognized by English ... But as time went on a partial insanity was recognized as distinct from total ..."

2. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by Philadelphia Neurological Society, American Neurological Association, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association (1887)
"Cases of insanity Occurring at Puberty and Adolescence, with Remarks.' That certain physiological periods—eras of development, of climax, ..."

3. The Social Welfare Forum: Official Proceedings ... Annual Forum by National Conference on Social Welfare, American Social Science Association, Conference of Charities (U.S., Conference of Charities (U.S.), National Conference of Social Work (U.S. (1880)
"Dr. HOYT : Will Mr. Sanborn explain how there can be an increase of chronic insanity without an increase of new insanity ? Mr. SANBORN : If other diseases ..."

4. The American Journal of Psychology by Granville Stanley Hall, Edward Bradford Titchener (1906)
"To Kraepelin is due the credit for having shown that circular insanity, mania and melancholia (in its simple form) are interrelated and belong to one group ..."

5. 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 (1886)
"The Connection between insanity and Crime.—MCDONALD. ... STEARNS, Increase of insanity in the Aged.—ADAMS, Visceral Lesion or Disorder and Mental Disease. ..."

6. Dictionary of National Biography: From the Earliest Times to 1900 by George Smith, Leslie Stephen, Sidney Lee (1897)
"But he soon made insanity his special study, approaching it from the point of view of a student of nervous and mental physiology. ..."

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