Paroxysm Definition

părək-sĭzəm
paroxysms
noun
paroxysms
A sudden outburst of emotion or action.
A paroxysm of laughter.
American Heritage Medicine
A sudden attack, or intensification of the symptoms, of a disease, usually recurring periodically.
Webster's New World
A sudden outburst as of laughter, rage, or sneezing; fit; spasm.
Webster's New World

An explosive event during a volcanic eruption.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Paroxysm

Noun

Singular:
paroxysm
Plural:
paroxysms

Origin of Paroxysm

  • Middle English paroxism periodic attack of a disease from Medieval Latin paroxysmus from Greek paroxusmos from paroxūnein to stimulate, irritate para- intensive pref. para–1 oxūnein to goad, sharpen (from oxus sharp ak- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From French paroxysme, from Medieval Latin paroxysmus, from Ancient Greek παροξυσμός (paroksusmos, “irritation, the severe fit of a disease"), from παροξύνειν (paroksunein, “to sharpen, irritate"), from παρά (pará) + ὀξύνειν (oksunein, “sharpen"), from ὀξύς (oksus, “sharp").

    From Wiktionary

Paroxysm Sentence Examples

  • Now, when the first paroxysm of your grief is past, I would advise you to come with me, and we will never rest till the Corn Laws are repealed.'

  • Each new paroxysm will bear a more severe and dangerous character.

  • The preparation gives off dense fumes which afford great relief to the asthmatic paroxysm.

  • The point common to the various forms of ague is that the paroxysm ceases about midnight or early morning.

  • The labours of Golgi, Marchiafava, Celli and others established the nature of the parasite and its behaviour in the blood; they proved the fact, guessed by Rasori so far back as 1846, that the periodical febrile paroxysm corresponds with the development of the organisms; and they showed that the different forms of malarial fever have their distinct parasites, and consequently fall into distinct groups,.

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Words Starting With

PPAPAR

Words Ending With

MSMYSM

Unscrambles

paroxysm

Words Starting With P and Ending With M

Starts With P & Ends With MStarts With PA & Ends With MStarts With P & Ends With SM

Word Length

8 Letter Words8 Letter Words Starting With P8 Letter Words Ending With M