derealization

D2E1R1E1A1L1I1Z10A1T1I1O1N1

noun

The psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal, and the patient has a sense of detachment from it.

Scrabble 23

Meanings

nounderealization (countable and uncountable, plural derealizations)

plural derealizations · alternative derealisation

  1. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal, and the patient has a sense of detachment from it.

    Derealization frequently co-occurs with depersonalization disorder, in which affected individuals notice an altered perception of their surroundings, resulting in the world seeming unreal or dreamlike.

    2008, Robert E. Hales, The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry, American Psychiatric Pub, →ISBN, page 680
  2. countableuncountableThe process ofmaking unreal, in general; detachment from reality or realness.

    The derealization of Arab Americans created the conditions whereby, after the attacks of 9/11, the American public was willing to allow, and sometimes become complicit in, their government's detention, extradition, and torture of Arabs and Muslims […]

    2015, Michael Malek Najjar, Arab American Drama, Film and Performance: A Critical Study, 1908 to the Present, McFarland, →ISBN
  3. countableuncountableThe loosening of the bonds of (an electron) so that it can move freely among a group of atoms; delocalization.

    This section develops a theme mentioned […] in the previous section, namely the derealization of the unpaired electron away from the formal radical centre […]

    1976, R. O. C. Norman, Electron Spin Resonance, Royal Society of Chemistry, →ISBN, page 162
    1 more example

    Indeed, cyclic derealization of π-electrons is at the heart of aromaticity. For benzene, it is found that the derealization of the density is greater between para-related carbons, […] than between meta-related atoms, […]

    2002, Prashant V. Kamat, Dirk M. Guldi, Karl M. Kadish, The Exciting World of Nanocages and Nanotubes: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Fullerenes, Nanotubes, and Carbon Nanoclusters, The Electrochemical Society, →ISBN, page 709

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*(H)reh₁-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*(H)reh₁ís
  9. Proto-Italic*reis
  10. Classical Latinrēs
  11. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  13. Late Latinreālis
  14. Old Frenchree
  15. Middle Englishreal
  16. Englishreal
  17. Englishde-
  18. Englishreal
  19. Englishderealize
  20. Englishderealization

From de- + real + -ization, or from derealize + -ation.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan desrealització
  • desrealitzaciópsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Chinese Cantonese 失實症 /失实症
  • 失實症 /失实症psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Chinese Mandarin 失實症 /失实症
  • 失實症 /失实症 (shīshí zhèng)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Danish derealisation
  • derealisationpsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Finnish derealisaatio
  • derealisaatiopsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
French déréalisation
  • déréalisationpsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
German Derealisation
  • Derealisationpsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Greek αποπραγματοποίηση
  • αποπραγματοποίηση (apopragmatopoíisi)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Italian derealizzazione
  • derealizzazionepsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Japanese 現実感喪失
  • 現実感喪失 (genjitsukansōshitsu)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Korean 비현실감
  • 비현실감 (bihyeonsilgam)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Polish derealizacja
  • derealizacjapsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Russian дереализа́ция
  • дереализа́ция (derealizácija)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Spanish desrealización
  • desrealizaciónpsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Swedish derealisation
  • derealisationpsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Thai ความจริงวิปลาส
  • ความจริงวิปลาส (khwām cring wiplās̄)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Turkish derealizasyon
  • derealizasyonpsychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
Ukrainian дереаліза́ція
  • дереаліза́ція (derealizácija)psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

derealization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/derealization

MLA

“derealization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/derealization. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “derealization,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/derealization.

Source: derealization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.