MATTOID Meaning and
Definition
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A "mattoid" is a term denoting an eccentric or mentally deranged person who exhibits irrational or bizarre behavior. This word originated in the early 20th century and is derived from the combination of two words: "matt" and "oid." The term "matt" refers to a person who is perceived as insane, senseless, or incompetent, while the suffix "-oid" means "similar to" or "resembling." Therefore, a "mattoid" can be understood as a person who resembles or is similar to someone who is mentally deranged.
The term "mattoid" is often used colloquially or in literary works to describe individuals who display erratic or peculiar habits, beliefs, or actions that deviate from societal norms. These individuals may exhibit irrational thinking, unusual fixations, or recurrent nonsensical behaviors, often causing puzzlement or distress to those around them.
Due to its derogatory connotation and association with mental instability, it is important to use the term "mattoid" with care and sensitivity. It should not be used to stigmatize or belittle individuals who may have genuine mental health conditions, as it does not provide an accurate or professional diagnosis but rather portrays eccentricity or idiosyncrasy.
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A person of abnormal mentality; one whose ideas and actions, while possibly of a high order, at times even approaching brilliancy, have an under current of absurdity or inconsequentiality; one in whom the mentally normal and abnormal are inextricably interwoven; in popular language, a crank.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for MATTOID
Etymology of MATTOID
The word "Mattoid" originates from the French term "mattoides", coined by French psychiatrist Jean-Étienne-Dominique Esquirol in the early 19th century. Esquirol used this term to describe individuals who exhibited bizarre beliefs, delusions, or eccentric behavior, which he believed were characteristic of a specific mental disorder. The term "mattoid" combines the French word "mat", meaning "mad", with the Greek suffix "-oid", denoting "resembling" or "similar to". Consequently, "mattoid" literally translates to "resembling madness" or "mad-like". Over time, the term has evolved and is now primarily used to describe eccentric or delusional individuals outside of a psychiatric context.
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