noun
Uncommon
schizophrenia
skiht-suh-FREE-nee-uh
Schizophrenia (noun) means a serious, long-term mental illness marked by disrupted thinking, false beliefs, and a distorted sense of reality. Example: “He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early twenties and now manages it with medication.”
noun
1
A serious, long-term mental illness marked by disrupted thinking, false beliefs, and a distorted sense of reality.
"He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early twenties and now manages it with medication."
"The charity offers support to families who live with schizophrenia."
"Doctors say that early treatment of schizophrenia can improve a person's quality of life."
2
Loosely, any situation where sharply conflicting attitudes or behaviors exist side by side.
"Critics pointed to a kind of schizophrenia in the company's messaging — one ad promised luxury, the next promised bargains."
How to use schizophrenia
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, perceives reality, and behaves.
Common mistake
Schizophrenia is not the same as having "multiple personalities" (that condition is called dissociative identity disorder) — this is one of the most common misconceptions about the word.
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Word forms
- Plural
- schizophrenias
Fill the gap
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He was diagnosed with _____ in his early twenties and now manages it with medication.
Etymology
Coined in German by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler from Greek skhizein ("to split") and phrēn ("mind"). It does not mean "split personality" — that's a common misunderstanding.
Synonyms
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dementia praecox
schizophrenic disorder
schizophrenic psychosis
Rhymes for schizophrenia
See all rhymes for schizophrenia →Frequently asked questions
What does “schizophrenia” mean?
The word “schizophrenia” means a serious, long-term mental illness marked by disrupted thinking, false beliefs, and a distorted sense of reality. In plain terms, a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, perceives reality, and behaves.
How do you pronounce “schizophrenia”?
“Schizophrenia” is pronounced skiht-suh-FREE-nee-uh (/ˌskɪtsəˈfɹiniə/ in IPA).
How do you use “schizophrenia” in a sentence?
Here is “schizophrenia” used in a sentence: “He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early twenties and now manages it with medication.”
What is another word for “schizophrenia”?
Words with a similar meaning to “schizophrenia” include dementia praecox, schizophrenic disorder and schizophrenic psychosis.
What part of speech is “schizophrenia”?
“Schizophrenia” is a noun.
Where does the word “schizophrenia” come from?
The word “schizophrenia” comes from German. Coined in German by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler from Greek skhizein ("to split") and phrēn ("mind"). It does not mean "split personality" — that's a common misunderstanding.
Is “schizophrenia” a common word?
“Schizophrenia” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “schizophrenia” have?
“Schizophrenia” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a serious, long-term mental illness marked by disrupted thinking, false beliefs, and a distorted sense of reality.
What is the difference between schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder?
Schizophrenia is a serious, long-term mental illness marked by disrupted thinking, false beliefs, and a distorted sense of reality, not by having multiple distinct personalities. Multiple personality disorder, now more often called dissociative identity disorder, is a separate condition involving distinct identity states, and the two are frequently and incorrectly conflated.
Is schizophrenia the same as psychosis?
Not exactly. Psychosis refers to a state of losing touch with reality, which can include false beliefs and disrupted thinking, while schizophrenia is a specific long-term mental illness in which psychosis is one of the core features. In other words, psychosis is a symptom that can appear in schizophrenia, but the two terms are not interchangeable.
Can schizophrenia be used in a non-clinical way?
Yes, schizophrenia is sometimes used loosely and informally to describe any situation where sharply conflicting attitudes or behaviors exist side by side, such as a company's "schizophrenic" approach to strategy. This casual usage differs from the clinical meaning and can be seen as insensitive to those affected by the actual illness.
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