Word Study
catatonia
CIDE DICTIONARY
catatonia, n. [Gr. katatonos, stretching down, depressed, fr. kata` down + to`nos stretching, straining, tone (sound). Stedman. ].
an abnormal behavioral syndrome characterized by stupor, negativism, and muscular rigidity, sometimes alternating with purposeless excitement, and seen most frequently in schizophrenia; called also catatonic schizophrenia . [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
catatonia, n.
1 schizophrenia with intervals of catalepsy and sometimes violence.
2 catalepsy.
1 schizophrenia with intervals of catalepsy and sometimes violence.
2 catalepsy.
Derivative
catatonic adj. & n.
Etymology
G Katatonie (as CATA-, TONE)
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