Definition of paranoid

The word "paranoid" originates from the Latin phrase "para noia," which means "beside one's mind." In the 17th century, the Latin phrase was adapted into medical terminology to describe a mental disorder characterized by excessive and irrational suspicions against others. In the early 1900s, the word "paranoid" gained popularity in the field of psychiatry, particularly among psychoanalysts like Sigmund Freud. Freudian psychoanalysis led to the development of the concept of the "paranoid personality," which described individuals who were excessively suspicious, mistrustful, and hypersensitive to perceived threats. Over time, the term "paranoid" has expanded beyond its medical context, commonly used in everyday language to describe not only mental disorders but also irrational or irrational belief systems, conspiracy theories, and a pervasive sense of anxiety or distrust.