هذيان
haḏayān/ha.ða.jaːn/
The Arabic word for "delirious" is هذيان (haḏayān).
Meaning: being in the state of delirium (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ha.ða.jaːn/. It has three syllables: ha-ḏa-yān.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'delirious' to describe extreme happiness or excitement, هذيان is almost exclusively associated with confusion, illness or madness.
- In classical Arabic literature, هذيان was sometimes used to describe the incoherent poetry or speech of a lover overwhelmed by passion.
- The root of هذيان is related to a sound that is repetitive and fragmented, mirroring the erratic speech patterns of someone who is delirious.
Examples in context
- كان المريض في حالة هذيان شديد.kana al-mareed fi halat hadhayan shadeed.The patient was in a state of severe delirium.
Example conversation
Sarah and Omar are discussing a sick relative at the hospital.
- سارة Saraهل استيقظ والدي من البنج بعد؟Hal istayqadha walidi min al-banj ba'd?Has my father woken up from the anesthesia yet?
- عمر Omarنعم، لكنه يعاني من بعض هذيان مؤقت.Na'am, lakinahu yu'ani min ba'd hadhyan mu'aqqat.Yes, but he is suffering from some temporary delirium.
- سارة Saraهل يتحدث معي بوضوح؟Hal yatahaddath ma'i bi-wuduh?Is he speaking to me clearly?
- عمر Omarلا، هو لا يزال في حالة هذيان.La, huwa la yazal fi halat hadhyan.No, he is still in a state of delirium.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry هذيان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
