monomaniac

C2 Topic:Mind & Cognition
US /ˌmɑː.noʊˈmeɪ.ni.æk/ UK /ˌmɒn.əʊˈmeɪ.ni.æk/
noun adj Freq #196688

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a person obsessively preoccupied with one subject, idea, or goal to the exclusion of other concerns

    The detective seemed a monomaniac whenever a difficult case occupied his thoughts.

  2. 2
    adj

    obsessively focused on a single subject or purpose

    His monomaniac pursuit of the record damaged every other part of his life.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a person obsessively... obsessivefanatic
2 adj · obsessively focused on a... obsessivesingle-mindedfixated
More single-minded person
Opposites
Word family
Derived forms monomaniacalmonomaniacally
Related forms monomaniamaniaobsession

Etymology

From monomania + -ac, on the model of maniac. Monomania was coined in French as monomanie from Greek monos, 'single,' + mania, 'madness,' for a supposed mental disorder limited to one subject; monomaniac broadened to any obsessively single-minded person.

Topics

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