echolalia
/ˌɛkəʊˈleɪlɪə
/noun [mass noun]
1 Psychiatry Meaningless repetition of another person’s spoken words as a symptom of psychiatric disorder.Complex tics might include jumping, smelling objects, touching the nose, touching other people, coprolalia, echolalia, or self-harming behaviors....
- Stupor or catalepsy, mutism, posturing/grimacing/stereotypy, echolalia or echopraxia and excessive motor activity were the main catatonic features.
- Three patients were found to respond to the fenfluramine therapy with reduction in echolalia, perseveration and motor disturbances and an increase in attention and social awareness.
2Repetition of speech by a child learning to talk.
Origin
Late 19th century: modern Latin, from Greek ēkhō 'echo' + lalia 'speech'.