Erotomania
/ˌɛr.ə.təˈmeɪ.ni.ə/noun
A delusional belief that one is loved by another person, often someone of higher status.
Did you know?The first element comes from Greek *erōs* (“desire, sexual love”), and the second from *mania* (“madness, frenzy”), so the word is built from two ancient forces that were both feared and revered.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
erōs
“desire, sexual love”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mania
“madness, frenzy, possession”
Late Latin
Latin
erotomania
“love madness, obsessive desire”
18th-19th Century
French/English
erotomanie / erotomania
“a pathological fixation of love or desire”
Modern English
English
erotomania
“a delusional belief that one is loved by another person”