insanity
Insanity (noun) means Serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind. Example: “His lawyer argued a defense of insanity.”
How to use insanity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMental illness, or (informally) sheer madness/craziness in a situation.
Word forms
insanities plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His lawyer argued a defense of _____.
Etymology
From Latin insanitas, built the same way as insane — in- ("not") plus sanus ("sound, healthy").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for insanity
See all rhymes for insanity →Frequently asked questions
What does “insanity” mean?
The word “insanity” means serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind. In plain terms, mental illness, or (informally) sheer madness/craziness in a situation.
How do you pronounce “insanity”?
“Insanity” is pronounced ihn-SA-nih-tee (/ɪnˈsænɪti/ in IPA).
How do you use “insanity” in a sentence?
Here is “insanity” used in a sentence: “His lawyer argued a defense of insanity.”
What is the opposite of “insanity”?
The opposite of “insanity” — its antonyms — are mental health, saneness and sanity.
What part of speech is “insanity”?
“Insanity” is a noun.
Where does the word “insanity” come from?
The word “insanity” comes from Latin. From Latin insanitas, built the same way as insane — in- ("not") plus sanus ("sound, healthy").
Is “insanity” a common word?
“Insanity” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “insanity” have?
“Insanity” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: serious mental illness; the state of being of unsound mind.
What is the difference between insanity and stupidity?
Insanity, in its extended sense, describes extreme foolishness or a chaotic, reckless situation, while stupidity refers to a lack of intelligence or poor judgment without necessarily implying chaos. In its primary sense, insanity refers to serious mental illness, a meaning stupidity never carries.
Is insanity a clinical or medical term?
Insanity was historically used to describe serious mental illness, but it is now mainly a legal term (as in an "insanity defense") rather than a clinical diagnosis, since modern medicine uses more specific terms for mental health conditions.
How is insanity used informally?
Informally, insanity is often used to describe extreme foolishness or a wildly chaotic situation, as in "the traffic today was pure insanity," without any reference to actual mental illness.