paroxysm

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paroxysm

/ˈpæɹəksɪz(ə)m/ UK
/ˈpɛɹəkˌsɪzəm/ US
/pəˈɹɑk-/ US

Where it comes from

From Late Middle English paroxism, paroxisme (“period of worsening of a disease, attack; sudden recurrent fever”), from Middle French paroxisme, paroxysme, and Old French peroxime (“period of worsening of a disease; bout of fever or illness”) (modern French paroxysme), and from their etymon Late Latin paroxismus, paroxysmus (“a fit; onset of a disease; violent impulse or sadness”), from Ancient Greek πᾰροξῠσμός (păroxŭsmós, “exasperation, irritation; severe fit of a disease”), from πᾰροξῡ́νω (păroxū́nō, “to irritate, provoke”) (from παρα- (para-, prefix meaning ‘parallel to but separate from or going beyond, beside’) + ὀξῡ́νω (oxū́nō, “to provoke; to sharpen”) (from ὀξῠ́ς (oxŭ́s, “sharp”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”))) + -μός (-mós, suffix forming abstract nouns). By surface analysis, para- + oxy- + -ism.

noun paroxysms · paroxism

countable A period (especially one of several recurring periods) during the course of an illness when symptoms worsen; a sudden attack of a disease symptom, such as a bout of coughing or a seizure. Againe; I feare a paroxiſme.
Similar: exacervation, fit
broadly, countable Chiefly followed by of: a sudden outburst of violent activity or feeling; also, the most severe part of an activity or incident; the climax. [H]ere vve may take occaſion, to mention the miſerable condition of the Iſraelites in Egypt, during vvhich time, vvoefull their ſlavery, if vve conſider, the […] Long continuance thereof, tvvo hundred and odde years in the latitude, and fourſcore (from the birth of Moſes) in the Paroxyſme of their b
Similar: high point, acme, apex, zenith, apogee, apotheosis, ascendance, capstone, climax, coronation, crown, culmination
archaic, broadly, countable An outburst of a violent argument or disagreement. But the greateſt contention happening here, vvas that Paroxyſme betvvixt Paul and Barnabas, the one as earneſtly refuſing, as the other deſiring the company of John Mark to goe along vvith them.
broadly, countable A violent occurrence of a natural phenomenon, such as an earthquake, thunderstorm, or volcanic eruption; specifically (volcanology), the most explosive event during a series of volcanic eruptions. [T]he Storm had ſeven Paroxyſms or Exacerbations, vvhich the Seamen call Frights of VVeather, […]
broadly, rare, uncountable Disastrous or sudden change. It is manifest that the species themselves are but transmutations of one or a few primordial types, and that they have been created not by paroxysm, but by evolution.

Translations

Every language

noun period (especially one of several recurring periods) during the course of an illness when symptoms worsen; sudden attack of a disease symptom

Español	paroxismo
한국어	발작 baljak
Português	paroxismo
Français	paroxysme
Deutsch	Paroxysmus
Italiano	parossismo, acme, raptus
Ελληνικά	παροξυσμός paroxysmós
Română	paroxism
Русский	парокси́зм paroksízm, припа́док pripádok
العربية	نَوْبَة nawba

noun sudden outburst of violent activity or feeling

Español	paroxismo
Português	paroxismo
Français	paroxysme
Deutsch	Paroxysmus
Italiano	parossismo
Ελληνικά	παροξυσμός paroxysmós
Русский	парокси́зм paroksízm, при́ступ prístup
עברית	פרוקסיזום

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MLA

"paroxysm." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/paroxysm. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

paroxysm. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/paroxysm

Chicago

"paroxysm." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/paroxysm.

BibTeX

@misc{paroxysm_2026,
  title = {paroxysm},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/paroxysm},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}