Dement: meaning, definitions and examples
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dement
[ dษชหmษnt ]
mental decline
To dement means to drive someone to madness or to inflict mental illness upon them. It is often used in a historical context where individuals were considered to have lost their sanity.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The stress of the situation began to dement him slowly.
- Her constant worries about the future seemed to dement her.
- The isolation and fear in the haunted house made the characters feel as if they were being demented.
Etymology
The word 'dement' originates from the Latin term 'dementare', which means to be mad or out of one's mind. This term is derived from 'de-' meaning 'down from' and 'mens', which translates to 'mind'. Over the centuries, the word has evolved but maintained a connection to mental health and sanity. In historical texts, 'dement' often referred to individuals who exhibited signs of mental illness, madness, or irrational behavior. The understanding of mental health has changed significantly since the word first appeared, but 'dement' continues to be used in literary and psychological contexts to describe the loss of sanity or rational thought.