delirium
delirium
Pronunciation
delirium (dɛˈli.rjum)
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
de (dɛ):
d - voiced alveolar plosive
ɛ - near-open front unrounded vowel
li (li):
l - alveolar lateral approximant
i - close front unrounded vowel
rium (rjum):
r - alveolar trill
j - palatal approximant
əm - schwa (mid central vowel) with a final nasal sound (m)
Word Form Variations
The word "delirium" has the following variations:
Singular: delirium (most common form)
Plural: deliriums (less common, but grammatically correct)
Alternative plural: deliria (less common, but found in medical contexts)
Adjective: delirious (describes a state of being)
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Noun:
Delirium (dɛˈli.rjum): A sudden and severe change in mental abilities characterized by confusion, disorientation, and a decline in awareness of surroundings. It often develops rapidly over hours or days and can fluctuate in severity. (Synonyms: acute confusional state, encephalopathy) (Antonyms: clarity, coherence, lucidity)
Adjective:
Delirious (dɛˈlɪəriəs): Experiencing delirium. (Synonyms: confused, disoriented, muddled) (Antonyms: clear-headed, coherent, lucid)
Examples of Use
Literature:
"The old man lay in bed, muttering incoherently, his mind ravaged by delirium." (Charles Dickens, Bleak House)
Newspapers:
"The hospital reported a rise in cases of delirium among elderly patients experiencing medication side effects." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"Post-operative delirium can be a risk factor for long-term cognitive decline. Learn more about the signs and symptoms." (WebMD)
Entertainment Mediums:
Movie: In the film Memento, the protagonist's short-term memory loss is portrayed as a form of delirium.
Video Game: In some video games, characters can enter a delirious state due to in-game events, causing hallucinations or distorted perceptions of reality.
General Public Discourse:
"After a bad fall, grandpa became delirious and kept mistaking me for his younger brother." (everyday conversation)
"The doctor warned us about potential delirium during her detox from alcohol." (family discussion about a medical situation)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Delirium
Unfortunately, there aren't many famous quotes that directly use the word "delirium" due to its more clinical nature. However, here are 10 quotes that capture similar themes of confusion, disorientation, or a break from reality:
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." (Socrates) - This quote speaks to the loss of understanding and clarity associated with delirium.
"Reality is a hallucination that persists." (Albert Einstein) - This quote plays with the idea of a distorted perception of reality, similar to what can happen during delirium.
"We are all mad in a certain way." (Voltaire) - This quote suggests inherent quirks in human thinking, which can be amplified during delirium.
"The society you live in produces this in you: a sense of lostness, a feeling of bewilderment." (T.S. Eliot) - This quote reflects the disorientation and confusion that can arise from societal pressures, similar to delirium.
"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." (Leonard Cohen) - This quote hints at a vulnerability in our minds that could allow for a breakdown like delirium.
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." (Voltaire) - This quote highlights the importance of questioning things, but also the danger of losing a grasp on reality.
"The lunatic, the lover, and the poet / Are of imagination all compact." (William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream) - This quote connects imagination with madness, which can be a symptom of delirium.
"The moment of victory is much too short to live in." (Napoleon Bonaparte) - This quote suggests the fleeting nature of reality, which can feel distorted during delirium.
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep." (William Shakespeare, The Tempest) - This quote explores the blurry line between dreams and reality, which can be lost during delirium.
"The trouble with reality is that there's no background music." (Jean Baudrillard) - This quote points to the subjective nature of our experience, which can be altered drastically in delirium.
Etymology
The word "delirium" comes from an old Roman road trip! Imagine a chariot driver steering off course, leaving the furrow or track (in Latin, "lira") they were supposed to follow. That's where the "li" part of delirium comes from. The "de" in front means "away from" or "off," just like how we use "de" in words like "detour" (away from the usual route).
So, putting it all together, "delirium" literally means "off the track." This makes sense because when someone is delirious, their mind is kind of like that runaway chariot, all over the place and not following the usual path of clear thinking.
The word "delirium" first showed up in English around the mid-1500s, and it was already being used to describe that confused, out-of-it state we know today.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Delirium
Due to the clinical nature of "delirium," there aren't many common phrases or idioms that directly use the word. However, here are some expressions that capture similar ideas of confusion, disorientation, or a break from reality:
In a fog/haze: This implies a lack of clarity and mental confusion.
Off their rocker/tetty: Informal expressions for someone being mentally unstable or delusional.
Seeing things/hearing things: Describes hallucinations, a common symptom of delirium.
Gone round the bend: A British idiom meaning someone has lost their mental faculties.
Out of their mind: This implies someone is not thinking clearly or rationally.
Living in a dream world: This suggests someone is out of touch with reality.
Barking mad/crazy as a loon: Informal expressions for someone acting in a wildly irrational way.
Lost their marbles: This implies someone has lost their mental faculties, similar to delirium.
Posts Related to Delirium
Source Information
Definition of delirium from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
