sīˈkōsə̇s noun
( plural psycho·ses -ōˌsēz)
Etymology: New Latin, from psych- + -osis
1. : profound disorganization of mind, personality, or behavior that results from an individual's inability to tolerate the demands of his social environment whether because of the enormity of the imposed stress or because of primary inadequacy or acquired debility of his organism especially in regard to the central nervous system or because of combinations of these factors and that may be manifested by disorders of perception, thinking, or affect symptoms of neurosis, by criminality, or by any combination of these — distinguished from neurosis ; compare insanity
2. : extreme mental unrest of an individual or of a social group especially in regard to situational factors of grave import
war psychosis
mass psychosis
— compare hysteria 2
Synonyms: see insanity