Mania
/ˈmeɪ.ni.ə/noun
An excessive enthusiasm or desire; an obsession.
Did you know?In ancient Greece, Mania was a goddess associated with madness and frenzy, often leading to ecstatic states of inspiration, suggesting a thin line between genius and insanity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*men-
“to think, to remember, to be mindful.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μανία (mania)
“madness, frenzy, divine rapture.”
Latin
Latin
mania
“madness, frenzy, excessive enthusiasm.”
Middle French
Old French
manie
“frenzy, madness.”
Modern English
English
mania
“an obsession or excessive enthusiasm, especially in a mental health context.”
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