Cleptomania
/ˌklɛp.toʊˈmeɪ.ni.ə/noun
A recurrent urge to steal items, especially things of little value or use.
Did you know?The term was coined in the 19th century from Greek kleptein (“to steal”) + mania (“madness, frenzy”), turning a behavioral disorder into a word that sounds almost like an ancient spell.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
κλέπτειν (kleptein)
“to steal, pilfer”
Ancient Greek
Gk
μανία (mania)
“madness, frenzy, possession”
19th Century
English
cleptomania
“a pathological urge to steal”
Modern English
English
kleptomania
“the standard modern spelling of the term”
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