hysteria: Meaning and Definition of

hys•te•ri•a

Pronunciation: (hi-ster'ē-u, -stēr'-), [key]
— n.
  1. an uncontrollable outburst of emotion or fear, often characterized by irrationality, laughter, weeping, etc.
  2. a psychoneurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks, disturbances of sensory and motor functions, and various abnormal effects due to autosuggestion.
  3. SeeCf. mass hysteria.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: