MANIC DEPRESSION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does manic depression mean? 

• MANIC DEPRESSION (noun)
  The noun MANIC DEPRESSION has 1 sense:

1. a mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression

  Familiarity information: MANIC DEPRESSION used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MANIC DEPRESSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

bipolar disorder; manic-depressive psychosis; manic depression; manic depressive illness

Hypernyms ("manic depression" is a kind of...):

affective disorder; emotional disorder; emotional disturbance; major affective disorder (any mental disorder not caused by detectable organic abnormalities of the brain and in which a major disturbance of emotions is predominant)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "manic depression"):

cyclic disorder; cyclothymia; cyclothymic disorder (a mild bipolar disorder that persists over a long time)

 Context examples 

These include: • Major depressive disorder • Dysthymic disorder (a chronic, mild depression) • Bipolar disorder (also called manic depression)

(Mood Disorders, NIH)