Münchausen syndrome

English

Alternative forms

• Munchausen's syndrome
• Munchausen syndrome
• Munchhausen syndrome
• Münchhausen syndrome

Etymology

From the German name Münchhausen, after the fantastical tales related by the fictional Baron Munchausen (sic) in Rudolf Erich Raspe's English-language novel Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia (1785). The character was loosely based on Baron Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen (1720–1797).

Noun

Münchausen syndrome (countable and uncountable, plural Münchausen syndromes)

1. A psychiatric disorder in which a person feigns illness or psychological trauma in order to garner attention or sympathy.

   Synonyms: factitious disorder, factitious disorder imposed on self

Derived terms

• Münchausen syndrome by proxy

Related terms

• Munchausenism

Translations

a psychiatric disorder

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 孟喬森綜合症／孟乔森综合症 (Mèngqiáosēn zònghézhèng), 求醫癖／求医癖 (qiúyīpǐ)

• French: syndrome de Münchhausen (fr) m
• German: Münchhausen-Syndrom n
• Hungarian: Münchhausen-szindróma
• Japanese: ミュンヒハウゼン症候群 (Myunhauzen shōkōgun)
• Russian: синдро́м Мюнхга́узена m (sindróm Mjunxáuzɛna)