paranoia
nounUK /ˌpæɹ.əˈnɔɪ.ə/ · US /ˌpæɹ.əˈnɔɪ.ə/
Etymology Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παράνοια (paránoia, “madness”), from παράνοος (paránoos, “demented”), from παρά (pará, “beyond, beside”) + νόος (nóos, “mind, spirit”). By surface analysis, para- (“abnormal, beyond”) + nous (“mind”) + -ia (“(medical) condition”).
1
Obsolete A psychotic disorder, now called delusional disorder, often (in one of six subtypes) characterized by delusions of persecution and a perceived threat against the individual affected with the disorder, and often associated with false accusations and a general mistrust of others.
2
Extreme, irrational distrust of others.
- Derived terms
- coronoia, juvenoia, maranoia, paranoiac, paranoialike, paranoic, paranoically, paranoid, paranoid schizophrenia, petronoia, technoparanoia
- Related terms
- nous#Related terms, para-#Derived terms