paranoia
noun
- thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌpæɹ.əˈnɔɪ.ə/ / /ˌpɛɹ.əˈnɔɪ.ə/
noun
Etymology: Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παράνοια (paránoia, “madness”), from παράνοος (paránoos, “demented”), from παρά (pará, “beyond, beside”) + νόος (nóos, “mind, spirit”). By surface analysis, para- (“abnormal, beyond”) + nous (“mind”) + -ia (“(medical) condition”).
- A psychotic disorder, now called delusional disorder, often (in one of six subtypes) characterized by delusions of persecution and a perceived threat against the individual affected with the disorder, and often associated with false accusations and a general mistrust of others.
- Extreme, irrational distrust of others.