Frenzy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɹɛnzi/

Definitions

1. A state of wild, uncontrolled excitement or violent agitation that overwhelms rational thought
2. an episode of uncontrolled emotional or mental turmoil marked by frantic behavior and loss of self-restraint
3. A condition characterized by intense and chaotic excitement or agitation that leads to irrational behavior and emotional turmoil

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "frenzy" is that its ancestor was a medical term for a disease of the brain. Ancient Greek physicians used "phrenitis," meaning inflammation of the brain, a condition thought to cause delirium and raving. The Greek word "phrénēsis," a later form of that term, passed into Latin as "phrenesis," and the sense of madness that came with it is what English inherited. The word reached English through Old French "frenesie," and Middle English speakers wrote it as "frensy" or "frenesie" before the spelling settled. Its close relative "frenetic" came into English by a different route, and "frantic" shares the same Greek source, so the three words are linked through a common root about the mind and its disorders. Because "phrenesis" is a doublet, English has a second, more direct form in the word "phrenesis" itself, which kept the Latin shape and the medical flavour. The everyday "frenzy" lost the anatomy and kept only the wildness.

Synonyms: mania, hysteria, rage, fury, excitement

Antonyms: calm, peace, composure, serenity, tranquility