Standard Lemma guide

conniption

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /kəˈnɪp.ʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 N IH1 P SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A fit of anger or panic; conniption fit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • When she came downstairs and saw what her children were eating, she had a conniption.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tantrum, catfit, conniption, conniption fit, dummy spit, headfit, hissy, hissy fit, meltdown, melty, paddy, shit fit, snit fit, wobbler, wobbly

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A fit of laughing; convulsion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The joke was not that funny, but he went into conniptions laughing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: the giggles

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a display of bad temper

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he had a fit
  • she threw a tantrum
  • he made a scene

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fit, tantrum, scene

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bad temper, ill temper

History

Etymology

Since 1833, from American English. Unknown origin, probably a fanciful alteration of corruption etc., or maybe related to captious.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: истерия (isterija) — fit of anger or panic
  • Czech: záchvat — fit of anger or panic
  • Dutch: woedeuitbarsting — fit of anger or panic
  • Finnish: kohtaus — fit of anger or panic
  • French: crise de colère — fit of anger or panic
  • French: crise de panique — fit of anger or panic
  • Galician: ataque de ansiedade — fit of anger or panic
  • Galician: ataque de histeria — fit of anger or panic
  • Galician: ataque de pánico — fit of anger or panic
  • German: Anfall — fit of anger or panic
  • German: hysterischer Anfall — fit of anger or panic
  • German: Wutanfall — fit of anger or panic
  • German: Panikattacke — fit of anger or panic
  • Hungarian: dühroham — fit of anger or panic
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fnatt — fit of anger or panic
  • Norwegian Bokmål: raserianfall — fit of anger or panic
  • Norwegian Bokmål: panikkangst — fit of anger or panic
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hysterisk anfall — fit of anger or panic
  • Polish: napad furii — fit of anger or panic
  • Russian: припа́док истерии (pripádok isterii) — fit of anger or panic
  • Russian: исте́рика (istérika) — fit of anger or panic
  • Russian: при́ступ гнева (prístup gneva) — fit of anger or panic
  • Serbo-Croatian: histerični napad — fit of anger or panic
  • Spanish: ataque de rabia; rabieta — fit of anger or panic
  • Swedish: damp — fit of anger or panic
  • Swedish: dille — fit of anger or panic
  • Swedish: fnatt — fit of anger or panic
  • Swedish: tuppjuck — fit of anger or panic
  • Swedish: frispel — fit of anger or panic