mania
UK: ˈmeɪ.ni.ə | US: ˈmeɪ.ni.ə
n. 1. An excessive enthusiasm or desire for something (e.g., "fitness mania").
n. 2. A mental disorder characterized by euphoria, hyperactivity, and delusions (clinical usage).
n. 3. Obsessive preoccupation with a specific idea or activity.
mania = man<mind, frenzy> + ia<condition>
- man (from Greek mania "madness, frenzy," related to mainesthai "to be mad")
- ia (Greek suffix denoting a condition or state)
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Ancient Greek mania, reflecting a state of frenzied excitement or madness. The root man- is linked to verbs meaning "to rage" or "be mad," while -ia systematically forms nouns describing conditions (e.g., phobia, euphoria). Over time, "mania" evolved from clinical madness to broader cultural obsessions, retaining its intensity but expanding to non-pathological contexts.
The tech mania of the 1990s led to rapid but unstable growth in startups.
She danced with wild mania, lost in the music.
His stamp-collecting mania filled the entire attic with albums.
The artist’s creative mania produced a masterpiece in just three days.
In bipolar disorder, episodes of mania alternate with depression.