How to Pronounce Psychosis
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Psychosis Pronunciation
sy-KOH-sis
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
sy
KOH
stress here
sis
3 syllables
What is Psychosis?
A mental state in which a person loses contact with reality, experiencing symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, or severely disorganized thinking. Psychosis is a symptom rather than a diagnosis and can result from various mental health or medical conditions.
Questions About Psychosis
How do you pronounce 'psychosis'?
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Psychosis is pronounced sy-KOH-sis. Say it like "sigh" (the sound you make when you're tired), then "KOH" (rhymes with "go"), then "sis" (like the word for sister). The stress falls on the middle syllable: KOH.
What is the stressed syllable in 'psychosis'?
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The second syllable, KOH, is the stressed syllable—that's where you put the emphasis. A common mistake is stressing the first syllable (PSY-ko-sis), but the correct way is sy-KOH-sis.
How many syllables does 'psychosis' have?
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Psychosis has three syllables: psy-cho-sis. Breaking it down slowly helps you say it correctly without rushing or stumbling over the sounds.
What do the word parts in 'psychosis' mean?
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Psychosis comes from two Greek roots: 'psyche,' which means mind or soul, and the suffix '-osis,' which means a condition or state of. So psychosis literally means "a condition of the mind."
What is a simpler way to explain what 'psychosis' means?
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Psychosis describes a mental state where someone loses touch with what is real. In everyday language, you might say someone is "out of touch with reality" or experiencing "a break from reality," which is what psychosis means.
What are some related medical words that use the 'psyche' or 'psycho-' root?
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Other words with the same root include psychiatry (medical care for mental health), psychology (the study of the mind and behavior), and psychotherapy (talk-based mental health treatment). All of them have 'psycho-' or 'psyche' because they relate to the mind.
Is there a short way to write or say 'psychosis'?
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There isn't a standard abbreviation for psychosis like there is for some other medical terms. Medical professionals usually just say the full word: psychosis.
How would you use 'psychosis' in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The doctor explained that psychosis can happen for different medical reasons, so it's important to figure out what's causing it." In this sentence, psychosis is used as the main topic being discussed.