hebephrenia

English

Alternative forms

• hebephrene

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἥβη (hḗbē, “youthful beauty”) (also Ἥβη (Hḗbē, “the goddess Hebe”)) + φρήν (phrḗn, “mind”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hiːbɪˈfɹiːnɪə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

hebephrenia (countable and uncountable, plural hebephrenias)

1. (clinical psychology) A form of schizophrenia characterized by inappropriate behavior and emotional responses.
   • 1937, Malcolm Lowry, Prelude To Mammon:

     Sir: drinking is a problem without doubt: / Whether or not we like it, whether or not / The goddamn thing will put you on the spot / With heebiejeebies hebephrene or gout: / Or lumbago will set you tapping out / On brass ferrule to stool, to rest, to rot.

2. (obsolete) A type of mental disorder occurring during puberty characterized by silly behavior and inappropriate laughter.

Derived terms

• hebephrenic

Translations

form of schizophrenia

• Catalan: hebefrènia f
• Finnish: hebefrenia
• French: héboïdophrénie (fr), hébéphrénie (fr) f
• Greek: ηβηφρένεια f (ivifréneia)
• Russian: гебефрени́я (ru) f (gebefreníja)
• Ukrainian: гебефренія f (hebefrenija)