schiz·o·phre·ni·a (sk?t?s?-fr??n?-?, -fr?n??-?) n. 1. Psychiatry A heterogeneous psychiatric disorder characterized by psychotic behavior including delusions, hallucinations, withdrawal from reality, and disorganized patterns of thinking and speech. 2. A situation or condition characterized by conflicting qualities, attitudes, or activities: the national schizophrenia that results from carrying out an unpopular war. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.schizophrenia (?sk?ts???fri?n??) n1. (Psychiatry) any of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of the personality, withdrawal from reality, hallucinations, delusions, social apathy, emotional instability, etc. See catatonia, hebephrenia, paranoia2. informal behaviour that appears to be motivated by contradictory or conflicting principles[C20: from schizo- + Greek phr?n mind + -ia]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014schiz?o?phre?ni?a (?sk?t s??fri ni ?, -?frin y?) n. a severe mental disorder associated with brain abnormalities and typically evidenced by disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, and hallucinations. [