a state of prolonged rigid posture, occurring for example in schizophrenia or in hypnotic trances
Derived forms
cataleptic (ˌcataˈleptic)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Medieval Latin catalēpsia, variant of Late Latin catalēpsis, from Greek katalēpsis, literally: a seizing, from katalambanein to hold down, from kata- down + lambanein to grasp
catalepsy in American English
(ˈkætəˌlɛpsi)
noun
a condition in which consciousness and feeling seem to be temporarily lost, and the muscles become rigid: it may occur in epilepsy, schizophrenia, etc.
Derived forms
cataleptic (ˌcataˈleptic) (ˈkætəˌlɛptɪk)
adjective, noun
Word origin
LL catalepsis < Gr katalēpsis, a seizing, grasping < katalambanein < kata-, down + lambanein, to take, seize: for IE base see latch