Etymology
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paranoia (n.)

"mental disorder characterized by systematized delusions of more or less definite scope," 1848 (earlier paranoea 1811), from Greek paranoia "mental derangement, madness," from paranoos "mentally ill, insane," from para- "beside, beyond" (see para- (1)) + noos "mind," which is of uncertain origin.

FOR several years frequent descriptions have been given in the foreign journals, especially German and Italian, of the forms of insanity designated by the names Paranoia, Verrücktkeit, and Wahnsinn. ["Paranoia — Systematized Delusions and Mental Degenerations," J. Séglas (transl. William Noyes), 1888]

Entries linking to paranoia

para- (1)

before vowels, par-, word-forming element, originally in Greek-derived words, meaning "alongside, beyond; altered; contrary; irregular, abnormal," from Greek para- from para (prep.) "beside, near; issuing from; against, contrary to," from PIE *prea, from root *per- (1) "forward," hence "toward, near; against." Cognate with Old English for- "off, away." Mostly used in scientific and technical words; not usually regarded as a naturalized formative element in English.

paranoiac 

1892 as an adjective, "pertaining to or exhibiting paranoia; also as a noun, "a patient exhibiting paranoia," from paranoia on model of maniac, etc.

paranoid (adj.)

"resembling or characterized by paranoia," 1901, irregularly formed from paranoia + -oid. As a noun, "a paranoid person," attested by 1922.

updated on August 15, 2020

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Definitions of paranoia from WordNet

paranoia (n.)
a psychological disorder characterized by delusions of persecution or grandeur;
Etymologies are not definitions. From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

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© 2001-2022 Douglas Harper