picky! picky! picky!

I just read that dementia is a "descriptive term". (added emphasis) But that's not right. "Crazy" is a descriptive term. Now, maybe the idea is that "dementia" in Latin is a descriptive term in Latin.
But in English"dementia" is a sort of general term, not a descriptive term.

In fact, as the entry I read went on to explain, it is (my word now) an umbrella term because it is said to collect together a number of more specific ailments.

Of course, there's a sort of joke here. We're using the high tone language Latin to say someone is "crazy"--if, indeed that's what dementia would mean for people speaking Latin. (I don't know Latin; so I can't say.)

But that's very silly. We want to put on airs about being scientists or professionals or whatever, so we use a dead language. (Or, perhaps the dead language was once more universal than any others.....) But what we're saying is just that someone is "bonkers" or "crazy" or "loopy".....Not at all high tone or fancy; and to call it "descriptive" is ridiculous and false.

Important note:
I apologize in advance to any professional linguist who might happen to come across this entry. Please feel free to correct any inaccuracies or confusions, should you be in the mood.

Reference:
"Demential: Hope Through Research"
National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke"
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/dementia.htm#148391213