dementia

[ dih-men-shuh, -shee-uh ]

noun

1. a condition characterized by progressive, persistent, severe impairment of intellectual capacity, including memory loss, confusion, and emotional instability, resulting from the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.

dementia

/ -ʃɪə; dɪˈmɛnʃə /

noun

1. a state of serious emotional and mental deterioration, of organic or functional origin

dementia

/ dĭ-mĕn′shə /

1. Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes. Dementia is caused by organic damage to the brain (as in Alzheimer's disease), head trauma, metabolic disorders, or the presence of a tumor.

Other Words From

• de·men·tial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dementia¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from Latin dēmentia “madness,” equivalent to dēment- “out of one's mind” ( dement ) + -ia noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of dementia¹

C19: from Latin: madness; see dement

Example Sentences

Instead, vascular dementia began to take her down precipitously, mentally and physically, in jagged, irregular steps.

From Los Angeles Times

Terry Griffiths OBE passed away peacefully on 1st December, after a lengthy battle with dementia.

From BBC

The real problem was that they had just inherited a bunch of “stuff” from my aunt, who has dementia and was moving into assisted living.

From Los Angeles Times

Researchers have shed new light on how mechanical signalling in the brain is disrupted and could lead to the condition which accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases worldwide.

From Science Daily

CTE is a neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated head injuries, often seen in athletes and military personnel, that can lead to mood changes and dementia.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• brain damage
• mental disorder