folie à deux

[ fo-lee uh doo; French faw-lee a dœ ]

noun

, Psychiatry.

, plural fo·lies à deux [fo-, leez, , uh, , doo, faw-lee z, a, , dœ].

1. the sharing of delusional ideas by two people who are closely associated.

folie à deux

/ ˈfɒlɪ æ ˈdɜː /

noun

1. psychiatry mental illness occurring simultaneously in two intimately related persons who share some of the elements of the illness, such as delusions

Word History and Origins

Origin of folie à deux¹

Borrowed into English from French around 1890–95

Word History and Origins

Origin of folie à deux¹

French: madness involving two (people)