How Do You Spell PAROXYSMS?

Pronunciation: [pˈaɹəksˌɪzəmz] (IPA)

Paroxysms /pəˈrɒksɪz(ə)mz/ is a medical term referring to sudden, violent, and uncontrollable episodes of symptoms. The word is spelled as a combination of "paroxysm," which comes from the Greek word "paroxynein" meaning "to provoke," and the suffix "-s," indicating plural form. The IPA phonetic transcription shows that the stress falls on the second syllable, followed by the long vowel sound "ɒ" in the third syllable. The letter combination "xy" represents the consonant cluster /ks/, and the final "s" indicates that it is a plural noun.

PAROXYSMS Meaning and Definition

  1. Paroxysms is a noun that refers to sudden, uncontrollable outbursts or attacks of a particular emotion, sensation, or physical ailment. It generally describes a sudden and intense spasm, convulsion, or bout of symptoms.

    In the context of emotions, paroxysms may indicate an extreme manifestation of feelings such as anger, grief, or laughter that occurs suddenly and forcefully, often accompanied by physical reactions like shouting or crying. For example, someone overcome with grief may experience paroxysms of uncontrollable sobbing.

    Regarding physical ailments, paroxysms can describe sudden and severe attacks of pain or symptoms that come on rapidly and intensely before subsiding. Medical conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, or migraine headaches may exhibit paroxysmal elements characterized by the sudden onset of symptoms like difficulty breathing, seizures, or severe headaches that last for a relatively short period of time. These paroxysms can vary in duration and frequency.

    Overall, paroxysms refer to intense episodes or attacks that happen abruptly and often diminish just as quickly. The term encompasses emotional, physical, and sometimes even pathological phenomena that tend to be temporary and fleeting in nature.

Common Misspellings for PAROXYSMS

Etymology of PAROXYSMS

The word "paroxysms" is derived from the Greek word "paroxysmos" which means "irritation" or "frenzy". It is further derived from the Greek word "paroxynō" meaning "to irritate" or "provoke". Eventually, the word found its way into Late Latin as "paroxysmus", which carried a similar meaning. From Latin, it entered Middle English as "paroquism" and eventually evolved into its current form, "paroxysms".

Similar spelling words for PAROXYSMS

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