Schizophrenia
/ˌskɪt.səˈfriː.nə/noun
A severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, and sense of self.
Did you know?The term 'schizophrenia' was coined in 1910 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, who believed it represented a split between thought and emotion, not multiple personalities as commonly misconceived.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σχίζω (schízō)
“to split or divide.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φρήν (phrēn)
“mind or diaphragm, referring to the seat of thought.”
19th Century
German
Schizophrenie
“a term used to describe the fragmentation of mental functions.”
20th Century
English
schizophrenia
“adopted as a clinical term to describe a group of psychoses characterized by disorganized thinking.”