delirium
UK[dɪˈlɪəriəm]US[dɪˈlɪriəm]
n
a state of wild excitement, confusion, or uncontrolled emotion.
n
an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherent thought, often occurring in fever, intoxication, or other illness.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
lira
ium
de
away, off
lira
furrow, track
ium
noun suffix
Etymology
The word delirium originates from the latin verb delirare, which literally meant "to go off the furrow" or "to deviate from a straight line." This agricultural metaphor, built from de- (off) and lira (furrow), was used to describe someone whose mind had wandered from its proper course. In classical latin, it evolved to signify mental derangement or madness. The modern english term, adopted in the late 16th century, retains this core idea of a mind straying from rational thought, now specifically applied to a temporary, often illness-induced, state of acute mental confusion and disorientation.
Analysis
Structure: de (away, off) + lira (furrow, track) + ium (noun suffix)
de: a latin prefix meaning "away from, off."
lira: from latin lira, meaning "a furrow, a track in a field."
ium: a latin-derived suffix used to form nouns, often denoting a state or condition.
Examples
The high fever threw him into a state of violent delirium.
In her delirium, she mistook the nurses for characters from her childhood.
The announcement caused a kind of mass delirium among the fans.