Meanings
plural neuroses
- countabledateduncountablecurrent in psychology and philosophymedicineA mental disorder, less severe than psychosis, marked by anxiety or fear differing from normal measures by its intensity, and resulting from a failure to compromise or properly adjust during the developmental stages of life, between normal human instinctual impulses and the demands of human society.First known use the 1700s
On inquiry it was found that this neurosis corresponded in time with the oncome of the catamenia.
1881, American journal of obstetrics and diseases of women and children, volume 141 more example
In the period from Spinoza to the end of the 19th century, the reading of design into nature received such devastating attacks from naturalists to non-naturalists alike that there developed an epistemological neurosis which Von Baer aptly termed “teleophobia.”
1952, D. Maurice Allan, “Towards a Natural Teleology”, in The Journal of Philosophy, volume 49, number 13, →DOISynonyms: psychoneurosis[Appendix:Glossary · Antonyms: physioneurosis
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA mental disorder, less severe than psychosis, marked by anxiety or fear differing from normal measures by its intensity, and resulting from a failure to compromise or properly adjust during the developmental stages of life, between normal human instinctual impulses and the demands of human society.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna mental or personality disturbance not attributable to any known neurological or organic dysfunction
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)neh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*snéh₁wr̥
- Ancient Greekνεῦρον (neûron)
- Ancient Greekνευρο- (neuro-)
- Englishneuro-
- Englishneurosis
Translations
Bulgarian невро́за
- невро́за (nevróza)mental disorder
Catalan neurosi
- neurosimental disorder
Chinese Mandarin 神經症 /神经症, 神經官能症 /神经官能症
- 神經症 /神经症 (shénjīngzhèng)mental disorder
- 神經官能症 /神经官能症 (shénjīng guānnéng zhèng)mental disorder
Czech neuróza
- neurózamental disorder
Dutch neurose, zenuwziekte
- neurosemental disorder
- zenuwziektemental disorder
Esperanto neŭrozo
- neŭrozomental disorder
Finnish neuroosi
- neuroosimental disorder
French névrose
- névrosemental disorder
German Neurose
- Neurosemental disorder
Greek νεύρωση
- νεύρωση (névrosi)mental disorder
Hungarian neurózis
- neurózismental disorder
Irish néaróis
- néaróismental disorder
Italian nevrosi, neurosi
- nevrosimental disorder
- neurosimental disorder
Japanese 神経症, ノイローゼ
- 神経症 (shinkeishō)mental disorder
- ノイローゼ (noirōze)mental disorder
Korean 신경증
- 신경증 (sin'gyeongjeung)mental disorder
Polish nerwica, neuroza
- nerwicamental disorder
- neurozamental disorder
- nerwymental disorder
Portuguese neurose
- neurosemental disorder
Russian невро́з
- невро́з (nevróz)mental disorder
Slovak neuróza
- neurózamental disorder
Spanish neurosis
- neurosismental disorder
Swedish neuros
- neurosmental disorder
Turkish nevroz
- nevrozmental disorder
Ukrainian невро́з
- невро́з (nevróz)mental disorder
Vietnamese chứng loạn thần kinh chức năng
- chứng loạn thần kinh chức năngmental disorder
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with neurosis
Anagrams
Cite this entry
neurosis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/neurosis
“neurosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/neurosis. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “neurosis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/neurosis.
Source: neurosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.