folie à deux

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A situation in which two people behave abnormally together in a way that neither of them would individually.
  2. A rare syndrome in which a symptom of psychosis (particularly a paranoid or delusional belief) is transmitted from one person to another.

Pronunciation

/ˈfɒli ə ˈdɜː/

Word forms

folie à deux folies à deux folie a deux folly à deux folly a deux

Etymology

Borrowed from French folie à deux (“madness for/of two [people]”).

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