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Glite Dictionary
involutional depression

involutional depression

9.9
A long, serious time of deep sadness and loss of interest that starts in middle age or after menopause
  • noun
  • /ˌɪnvəˈluːʃənəl dɪˈprɛʃən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : depresión involucional
  • Many women experience involutional depression during the years surrounding menopause.

Examples

  • She was diagnosed with involutional depression after her menopause.

  • Many women experience involutional depression during their 50s.

  • Support groups may help those suffering from involutional depression cope with their symptoms.

  • The psychiatrist diagnosed him with involutional depression as he reached late middle age.

  • Many women experience involutional depression during the years surrounding menopause.

  • Support groups may help those suffering from involutional depression cope with their symptoms.

  • She was diagnosed with involutional depression after her menopause.

Antonyms

happiness
970 1.0

A feeling of pleasure and being satisfied

joy
793 1.0

A strong feeling of great happiness

well-being
178 2.4

A state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy

Surface Forms

involutional depression singular
involutional depressions plural

Morphology

involutional + depression

The headword 'depression' is transparent, but 'involutional' is a rare, technical adjective referring to involution/age‑related physiological change; a B1 learner who knows both words could plausibly infer this means a depression associated with aging or menopause, but the term's specific clinical scope and register are specialist and not fully predictable from general vocabulary knowledge.

Etymology

The noun involutional depression comes from the idea of involutional meaning a time when the body and life 'turn inward' as people get older. So the image is of someone facing inward change and feeling low, which is why involutional depression means depression that happens during menopause or in later life.