latah

or la·ta

[ lah-tuh ]

noun

1. a pattern of neurotic behavior, usually induced by a startle, first discovered in Malaya, and characterized by the compulsive imitation of the actions and words of others.

latah

/ ˈlɑːtə /

noun

1. a psychological condition, observed esp in Malaysian cultures, in which an individual, after experiencing a shock, becomes anxious and suggestible, often imitating the actions of another person

Word History and Origins

Origin of latah¹

Borrowed into English from Malay around 1880–85

Word History and Origins

Origin of latah¹

C19: from Malay

Example Sentences

“The state is coming from a position of being practical and trying to use common sense here,” Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson told the court Wednesday.

From Seattle Times

The phone survey of 400 potential jurors in Latah County revealed that 45% of respondents said they had read, seen or heard in the news that Kohberger had stalked one of the victims, Edelman said.

From Seattle Times

Judge John Judge in Latah County acknowledged the challenge he faced in trying to find a path forward now that the false information had already been relayed to possible jurors through Edelman’s survey.

From Seattle Times

Elisa Massoth, another of Kohberger’s attorneys, defended the survey work as necessary to convince Judge that an impartial jury cannot be found in Latah County.

From Seattle Times

“Latah County citizens have accepted the information placed before them by state actors. … This is all information that’s put out into the media, and having the state now claim this moral high ground is an oxymoron.”

From Seattle Times