cabin fever

noun

1. a state characterized by anxiety, restlessness, and boredom, arising from a prolonged stay in a remote or confined place.

cabin fever

noun

1. acute depression resulting from being isolated or sharing cramped quarters in the wilderness, esp during the long northern winter

Word History and Origins

Origin of cabin fever¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20

Idioms and Phrases

Distress or anxiety caused by prolonged confinement in a small or remote place, as in We've been snowed in for a week and everyone has cabin fever . Originating in the West, this term at first alluded to being penned up in a remote cabin during a long winter but has since been applied more broadly. [Late 1800s]