noun
dementia
dih-MEHN-shuh
noun
1
A progressive decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning caused by disease or damage to the brain, beyond what normal aging would cause.
"Her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia in her late seventies."
"Dementia can affect memory, language, and judgement over time."
How to Use Dementia
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA medical condition where memory and thinking gradually get worse, more than normal aging would explain.
Common pairings
early-onset dementia
symptoms of dementia
living with dementia
Word Forms
dementias plural, dementiae plural
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Etymology
From Latin dementia, from de- ("away from") plus mens ("mind") — literally "being out of one's mind".