mania

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Excessive or unreasonable desire; insane passion affecting one or many people; fanaticism.

   One of the manias of the present day, which especially excites my spleen, is the locomotive rage which seems to possess all ranks—that necessity of going out of town in the summer...

2. 2
   noun

   an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action

3. 3
   noun

   a mood disorder

4. 4
   noun

   Violent derangement of mind; madness; insanity.

Simplified etymology

Mania entered English in the late Middle Ages through post-classical Latin mania, “mental disorder,” from ancient Greek mania, “madness” or “inspired frenzy.” The Greek word was based on mainesthai, “to rage or be in a frenzy.” English initially used mania for madness or frenzy; the sense “obsession or excessive enthusiasm” appeared near the end of the 17th century.

Borrowed from Latin mania, from Ancient Greek μανία (manía, “madness”).

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary