Main Entry: neu·ro·sis Pronunciation: nu-'rO-s&s, nyu- Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural neu·ro·ses /-"sEz/ Etymology: New Latin Date: circa 1784 : a mental and emotional disorder that affects only part of the personality, is accompanied by a less distorted perception of reality than in a psychosis, does not result in disturbance of the use of language, and is accompanied by various physical, physiological, and mental disturbances (as visceral symptoms, anxieties, or phobias)