Advertisement

hysteria (n.)

nervous disease, 1801, coined in medical Latin as an abstract noun from Greek hystera "womb," from PIE *udtero-, variant of *udero- "abdomen, womb, stomach" (see uterus). Originally defined as a neurotic condition peculiar to women and thought to be caused by a dysfunction of the uterus. With abstract noun ending -ia. General sense of "unhealthy emotion or excitement" is by 1839.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of hysteria from WordNet

hysteria (n.)
state of violent mental agitation;
Synonyms: craze / delirium / frenzy / fury
hysteria (n.)
excessive or uncontrollable fear;
hysteria (n.)
neurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks and disturbances of sensory and motor functions;
Synonyms: hysterical neurosis
From wordnet.princeton.edu