catatonia
noun
- psychopathological syndrome, a group of postural and movement abnormalities
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌkætəˈtoʊniə/
noun
Etymology: From international scientific vocabulary, from German Katatonie, from New Latin catatonia, from a Greek word meaning to stretch tight. By surface analysis, cata- + tone + -ia.
- A severe psychiatric condition, often associated with schizophrenia, characterized by a tendency to remain in a rigid state of stupor for long periods which give way to short periods of extreme agitation.
- A frozen, unresponsive state, as of electronic equipment.
““Relay that!” Thwaite shouted. Somewhere on the bridge a hand closed over a relay and dropped the AIDs into an electronic catatonia.”