Münchausen syndrome

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

Münchausen syndrome

Where it comes from

From the German name Münchhausen, after the fantastical tales related by the fictional Baron Munchausen (sic) in Rudolf Erich Raspe's English-language novel Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia (1785). The character was loosely based on Baron Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen (1720–1797).

noun Münchausen syndromes · Munchausen syndrome · Münchhausen syndrome · Munchhausen syndrome · Munchausen's syndrome

countable, uncountable A factitious (artificial) mental disorder in which a person feigns illness or psychological trauma in order to garner attention or sympathy.
Similar: factitious disorder, factitious disorder imposed on self

Translations

Every language

noun psychiatric disorder

日本語	ミュンヒハウゼン症候群 Myunhauzen shōkōgun
中文	孟喬森綜合症 /孟乔森综合症 Mèngqiáosēn zònghézhèng, 求醫癖 /求医癖 qiúyīpǐ
Français	syndrome de Münchhausen
Deutsch	Münchhausen-Syndrom
Русский	синдро́м Мюнхга́узена sindróm Mjunxáuzɛna

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"Münchausen syndrome." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/m%C3%BCnchausen%20syndrome. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

APA

Münchausen syndrome. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/m%C3%BCnchausen%20syndrome

Chicago

"Münchausen syndrome." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/m%C3%BCnchausen%20syndrome.

BibTeX

@misc{mu_nchausen_syndrome_2026,
  title = {Münchausen syndrome},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/m%C3%BCnchausen%20syndrome},
  urldate = {2026-11-07}
}