obsessive–compulsiveadj.n.
/əbˌsɛsɪvkəmˈpʌlsɪv/, U.S. /əbˌsɛsɪvkəmˈpəlsɪv/, /ɑbˌsɛsɪvkəmˈpəlsɪv/ Chiefly Psychiatry.
A. adj.
Designating or relating to a type of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are severe enough to cause significant distress or interference with social or occupational relationships and functioning. Esp. in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Also in weakened use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > degree or type of mental illness > [adjective] > morbidly preoccupied > obsessive or compulsive
compulsive1902
anal1918
obsessive–compulsive1927
anal retentive1936
retentive1957
anally retentive1968
1927 D. K. Henderson & R. D. Gillespie Text-bk. Psychiatry xiv. 399 ‘Obsessive-compulsive’ state is applied to a..condition in which the preoccupation issues in motor acts of an apparently trifling or meaningless kind.
1941 S. H. Kraines Therapy Neuroses & Psychoses i. 26 Hysteria and obsessive-compulsive neurosis in which states symbolic symptoms are more common.
1965 New Statesman 24 Sept. 426/1 [Ronald] Reagan has been associated with the obsessive-compulsive faction of the Republican right.
1967 Canad. Med. Assoc. Jrnl. 97 394/2 Perfectionistic: Having a tendency to be fussy, meticulous, and compulsive. Seen most often in obsessive-compulsive disorders.
1983 D. Stafford-Clark & A. C. Smith Psychiatry for Students (ed. 6) ii. 29 Obsessive-compulsive ideas emerge as repetitive preoccupations, which are recognized as unreasonable, but from which the patient cannot free himself.
2001 N.Y. Times 8 Aug. b2/1 (advt.) Do you suffer with hair loss due to hair pulling, an obsessive compulsive disorder called Trichotillomania?
B. n.
A person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Also in weakened use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > degree or type of mental illness > [noun] > compulsion neurosis > obsession or compulsion > person
obsessional neurotic1932
anal retentive1936
obsessive–compulsive1960
1960 Cambr. Rev. 7 May 509/1 Of 100 severe reactions among students..the schizophrenic were the most frequent (34)... There were..7 obsessive-compulsives.
1970 Jrnl. Gen. Psychol. 82 175 Schizophrenics, obsessive-compulsives, and depressed persons have a high level of health anxiety.
1996 Entertainm. Weekly 3 May 6 Legions of Trekkers, geeked out head to toe in full Federation regalia, milled about communing with their fellow obsessive-compulsives.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1927