Capgras syndrome
noun
Cap·gras syndrome
ˌkap-ˈgrä- 
variants
also Capgras delusion
: a delusional condition characterized by the false belief that known individuals (such as family members) have been replaced by doubles or impostors
The ability to identify (which was intact) was not accompanied by the appropriate feeling of warmth and familiarity, and it was this contradiction that led to the logical though absurd conclusion that she was a "duplicate." (This condition, which can occur in schizophrenia, but also with dementia or delirium, is known as Capgras syndrome.)—
Oliver Sacks, The New Yorker
Oliver Sacks, The New YorkerCite this Entry
“Capgras syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/Capgras%20syndrome. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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