demented
UK: dɪˈmɛntɪd | US: dɪˈmɛntɪd
adj. 1. Suffering from dementia; mentally unstable or irrational.
adj. 2. Wildly foolish or irrational in behavior or thought.
The word "demented" originates from the Latin dementare ("to drive mad"), combining de- (indicating reversal or removal) and mens ("mind"). The morpheme ment preserves the Latin root for "mind," while -ed forms the adjective. Over time, the term evolved to describe both clinical mental decline and colloquial irrationality, reflecting a logical progression from literal loss of mind to figurative foolishness.
The demented patient required constant care due to severe memory loss.
His demented laughter unnerved everyone at the meeting.
She made a demented decision to quit her job without a backup plan.
The villain's demented scheme involved destroying the city for no reason.
The old man's demented ramblings were dismissed as senile delirium.