madness
UK: ˈmædnəs | US: ˈmædnəs
n. a state of severe mental illness or irrational behavior
n. extreme foolishness or irrationality
n. intense excitement or enthusiasm (archaic/poetic)
The word "madness" originates from the Old English gemǣdde (past participle of gemǣdan, "to make mad"), derived from gemād ("foolish, insane"). The root "mad" traces back to Proto-Germanic *ga-maidaz ("changed, altered," implying a departure from sanity). The suffix "-ness" (Old English -nes) transforms adjectives into nouns denoting a state or condition. Thus, "madness" literally means "the state of being mad," evolving from early connotations of mental alteration to modern meanings of insanity or extreme folly.
The king's madness led to chaotic decisions.
She laughed at the madness of their plan.
In his madness, he believed he could fly.
The crowd cheered with pure madness during the concert.
Love is a sweet madness, as the poets say.