Standard Lemma guide

derealization

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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal, and the patient has a sense of detachment from it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

making unreal, in general; detachment from reality or realness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: The process of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The loosening of the bonds of (an electron) so that it can move freely among a group of atoms; delocalization.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh1-der. Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh1ís Proto-Italic *reis Classical Latin rēs Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin reālisder. Old French reelbor. Middle English real English real Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ization ▲ English de- ▲ English real ▲ English -ize English derealize ▲ English -ation English derealization From de- + real + -ization, or from derealize + -ation.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: desrealització — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Chinese Cantonese: 失實症 /失实症 — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 失實症 /失实症 (shīshí zhèng) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Danish: derealisation — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Finnish: derealisaatio — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • French: déréalisation — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • German: Derealisation — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Greek: αποπραγματοποίηση (apopragmatopoíisi) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Italian: derealizzazione — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Japanese: 現実感喪失 (genjitsukansōshitsu) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Korean: 비현실감 (bihyeonsilgam) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Polish: derealizacja — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Russian: дереализа́ция (derealizácija) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Spanish: desrealización — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Swedish: derealisation — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Thai: ความจริงวิปลาส (khwām cring wiplās̄) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Turkish: derealizasyon — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal
  • Ukrainian: дереаліза́ція (derealizácija) — psychological symptom in which the world appears to be unreal