hypochondria
C1/C2Formal, medical, psychological; sometimes used in general educated discourse.
Definition
Meaning
Excessive anxiety about one's health, often with an unfounded belief that one has a serious illness.
A psychological condition characterized by persistent, distressing preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness despite medical reassurance; historically, also referred to a region of the abdomen believed to be the seat of melancholy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is an uncountable noun. The person experiencing it is a 'hypochondriac'. The condition is now more formally termed 'illness anxiety disorder' in diagnostic manuals (e.g., DSM-5), but 'hypochondria' remains common in general and historical usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Spelling is identical. The clinical term 'illness anxiety disorder' is used equally in both professional contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used in a mildly colloquial or informal-critical way in everyday British English (e.g., 'Oh, don't be such a hypochondriac!'). In American English, it retains a slightly more formal, clinical tone in general use.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties. Slightly more common in written than spoken language.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N + suffer from + hypochondriaN + be diagnosed with + hypochondriaN + be a symptom of + hypochondriaAdj + hypochondria (e.g., severe hypochondria)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A hypochondriac's delight (referring to a list of worrying symptoms)”
- “To have a case of the hypochondriacs (informal, humorous)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in HR contexts regarding employee health absences: 'Persistent absenteeism may sometimes be linked to underlying health anxiety.'
Academic
Common in psychology, psychiatry, medical humanities, and historical texts discussing the mind-body relationship.
Everyday
Used to describe someone excessively worried about minor symptoms. 'His constant googling of symptoms is pure hypochondria.'
Technical
The formal diagnostic category in older editions of the DSM; now largely superseded by 'illness anxiety disorder' and 'somatic symptom disorder'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A (No direct verb form. Use 'to be/become a hypochondriac' or 'to suffer from hypochondria').
American English
- N/A (No direct verb form. Use 'to hypochondriac' is non-standard and rare).
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverb form. Use 'hypochondriacally' is extremely rare and non-standard).
American English
- N/A (No standard adverb form. Use phrases like 'in a hypochondriac manner').
adjective
British English
- His hypochondriac tendencies meant he visited the GP weekly.
- She had a hypochondriac fear of hospitals.
American English
- His hypochondriac tendencies led to numerous specialist referrals.
- She dismissed his concerns as merely hypochondriac.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is always worried she is ill. It might be hypochondria.
- His hypochondria began after he read an article about a rare disease.
- The physician distinguished between genuine somatic symptoms and those arising from a profound state of hypochondria, recommending cognitive behavioural therapy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a HYPOdermic needle (HYPO) and a CHONDRosaur (CHONDR) dinosaur. The dinosaur is terrified of the needle, thinking it will make him ill—this is HYPO-CHONDR-IA.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A MACHINE PRONE TO BREAKDOWN; HEALTH IS A PRECARIOUS STATE; MINOR SYMPTOMS ARE WARNING LIGHTS FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'ипохондрия' (same meaning, direct cognate). The trap is assuming it's a rare or highly technical term; it's relatively common in educated speech.
- The derived noun 'hypochondriac' translates to 'ипохондрик'. Avoid literal translations like 'гипохондрик' (incorrect).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'hypocondria' (missing 'h'), 'hipochondria'.
- Using it as a countable noun: 'He has a hypochondria' (incorrect) vs. 'He has hypochondria' or 'He is a hypochondriac'.
- Confusing with 'hypothermia' (low body temperature) due to the 'hypo-' prefix.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the modern clinical term largely replacing 'hypochondria'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is recognized as a mental health condition, specifically an anxiety disorder. In current diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5, it is categorized under 'Illness Anxiety Disorder'.
Hypochondria involves a genuine, distressing belief that one is ill, often leading to seeking reassurance. Munchausen syndrome (Factitious Disorder) involves consciously faking or inducing symptoms to assume the 'sick role' and gain medical attention.
Yes, it is often treatable. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is considered particularly effective. Sometimes antidepressants (SSRIs) are also used to manage the underlying anxiety.
Yes, it is a modern, informal term describing the escalation of health anxieties due to excessive online searching for medical information, essentially a digital-age form of hypochondria.