paroxysm

Meaning

1. (countable) A period (especially one of several recurring periods) during the course of an illness when symptoms worsen; a sudden attack of a disease symptom, such as a bout of coughing or a seizure.
2. (broadly, countable) Chiefly followed by of: a sudden outburst of violent activity or feeling; also, the most severe part of an activity or incident; the climax.
3. (archaic, broadly, countable) An outburst of a violent argument or disagreement.
4. (broadly, countable) A violent occurrence of a natural phenomenon, such as an earthquake, thunderstorm, or volcanic eruption; specifically (volcanology), the most explosive event during a series of volcanic eruptions.
5. (broadly, rare, uncountable) Disastrous or sudden change.

Synonyms

fit

convulsion

seizure

outburst

outbreak

explosion

attack

👊

episode

flurry

gust

ictus

pitch

spasm

spot

spree

touch

coin money

infantile convulsion

infantile discase

insultus

bluster

bout

burst

cramp

detonation

ebullition

Translations

parossismo

paroxysme

Paroxysmus

paroxismo

attacco

👊

παροξυσμός

galeyan

acceso

feveran

Krampf

accesso

ataque

👊

paroxismo

accès

Ausbruch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpæ.ɹək.ˌsɪ.zəm/

Etymology

From Late Middle English paroxism, paroxisme (“period of worsening of a disease, attack; sudden recurrent fever”), from Middle French paroxisme, paroxysme, and Old French peroxime (“period of worsening of a disease; bout of fever or illness”) (modern French paroxysme), and from their etymon Late Latin paroxismus, paroxysmus (“a fit; onset of a disease; violent impulse or sadness”), from Ancient Greek πᾰροξῠσμός (păroxŭsmós, “exasperation, irritation; severe fit of a disease”), from πᾰροξῡ́νω (păroxū́nō, “to irritate, provoke”) (from παρα- (para-, prefix meaning ‘parallel to but separate from or going beyond, beside’) + ὀξῡ́νω (oxū́nō, “to provoke; to sharpen”) (from ὀξῠ́ς (oxŭ́s, “sharp”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”))) + -μός (-mós, suffix forming abstract nouns). By surface analysis, para- + oxy- + -ism.