maniac
UK: ˈmeɪniæk | US: ˈmeɪniæk
n. a person exhibiting extreme symptoms of wild behavior, especially when violent or dangerous
n. (informal) an obsessive enthusiast (e.g., "a fitness maniac")
maniac = mani<mind> + ac<related to>
- mani<mind>: From Greek mania (madness, frenzy), via Latin mania.
- ac<related to>: Suffix from Greek -akos, denoting association or pertaining to.
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Greek mania (madness), combined with the adjectival suffix -akos. Originally used in medical contexts (e.g., "maniacal disorder"), it later broadened to describe obsessive enthusiasm. The logic follows: mani (mind) + ac (pertaining to) → "one affected by madness."
The detective pursued the maniac through the chaotic streets.
She’s a maniac about organizing her books by color.
Historical texts described the ruler as a tyrannical maniac.
He drove like a maniac, swerving between lanes.
The film’s villain was a laughing maniac with no remorse.