Ulysses syndrome

noun

An atypical set of depressive, anxious, dissociative and somatoform symptoms resulting from the stress associated with modern migration.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounUlysses syndrome (uncountable)
  1. uncountablehuman sciencesAn atypical set of depressive, anxious, dissociative and somatoform symptoms resulting from the stress associated with modern migration.
  2. uncountablehuman sciencesThe physical and psychological sequelae of a misdiagnosis due to a false positive result.

Origin

Coined in 2002 by Joseba Achotegui of the Universitat de Barcelona, in reference to the ancient mythological hero Ulysses, who travelled for ten years through the Mediterranean to return home from the Trojan War.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Ulysses syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ulysses%20syndrome

MLA

“Ulysses syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ulysses%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ulysses syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ulysses%20syndrome.

Source: Ulysses syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.