noun
delirium
dih-LIH-ree-uhm
Delirium (noun) means a sudden state of confusion, disorientation, and sometimes hallucination, often caused by illness, fever, or drugs. Example: “The patient slipped into delirium after a severe infection.”
noun
1
A sudden state of confusion, disorientation, and sometimes hallucination, often caused by illness, fever, or drugs.
"The patient slipped into delirium after a severe infection."
2
Wild, uncontrolled excitement.
"The crowd erupted into delirium as the final whistle blew."
How to use delirium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA confused, disoriented mental state caused by illness, or (more loosely) wild excitement.
Common pairings
fall into delirium
feverish delirium
delirium of the crowd
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Word forms
- Plural
- deliriums, deliria
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The patient slipped into _____ after a severe infection.
Etymology
From Latin delirium, "madness" or "derangement," related to delirare, "to go off the furrow" — literally, to stray off track while plowing.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for delirium
See all rhymes for 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.
