/ ˈpærəksɪzəm; NAmE / noun paroxysm (of sth)
1.
a sudden strong feeling or expression of an emotion that cannot be controlled :
paroxysms of hate
a paroxysm of laughter
2.
( medical ) a sudden short attack of pain, causing physical shaking that cannot be controlled
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from French paroxysme , via medieval Latin from Greek paroxusmos , from paroxunein exasperate, from para- beyond + oxunein sharpen (from oxus sharp).