delirium
4 synonyms and 0 antonyms for delirium, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A sudden state of confusion, disorientation, and sometimes hallucination, often caused by illness, fever, or drugs.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use delirium
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin delirium, "madness" or "derangement," related to delirare, "to go off the furrow" — literally, to stray off track while plowing.
Full origin of delirium →Frequently asked questions
What does “delirium” mean?
The word “delirium” means a sudden state of confusion, disorientation, and sometimes hallucination, often caused by illness, fever, or drugs. In plain terms, a confused, disoriented mental state caused by illness, or (more loosely) wild excitement.
How do you pronounce “delirium”?
“Delirium” is pronounced dih-LIH-ree-uhm (/dɪˈlɪɹ.i.əm/ in IPA).
How do you use “delirium” in a sentence?
Here is “delirium” used in a sentence: “The patient slipped into delirium after a severe infection.”
What part of speech is “delirium”?
“Delirium” is a noun.
Where does the word “delirium” come from?
The word “delirium” comes from Latin. From Latin delirium, "madness" or "derangement," related to delirare, "to go off the furrow" — literally, to stray off track while plowing.
How many meanings does “delirium” have?
“Delirium” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sudden state of confusion, disorientation, and sometimes hallucination, often caused by illness, fever, or drugs.