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Monomaniac: meaning, definitions and examples

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monomaniac

 

[ ˌmɒnəˈmeɪnɪæk ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

mental state

A monomaniac is a person who is obsessively preoccupied with a single idea or focus, often to the exclusion of all other thoughts. This can manifest as an extreme enthusiasm or fixation on a particular subject, causing disruptions in other areas of their life.

Synonyms

fanatic, fixated, obsessive

Examples of usage

  • He became a monomaniac about his gardening.
  • Her monomaniac tendencies were evident in her research.
  • The artist was a monomaniac, dedicating all his time to one project.
  • In conversation, he would often reveal his monomaniac obsession with vintage cars.

Translations

Translations of the word "monomaniac" in other languages:

🇵🇹 monomaníaco

🇮🇳 मोनोमेनियाक

🇩🇪 Monomaniker

🇮🇩 monomania

🇺🇦 мономаніяк

🇵🇱 monomanik

🇯🇵 モノマニア

🇫🇷 monomaniaque

🇪🇸 monomaníaco

🇹🇷 monomanyak

🇰🇷 모노마니악

🇸🇦 مهووس أحادي

🇨🇿 monomaniak

🇸🇰 monomaniak

🇨🇳 单念狂

🇸🇮 monomaniak

🇮🇸 monomaniac

🇰🇿 мономания

🇬🇪 მონომანია

🇦🇿 monomaniac

🇲🇽 monomaníaco

Word origin

The term 'monomaniac' is derived from the combination of 'mono-' meaning 'one' and 'mania' which comes from the Greek word 'mania' (μανία), meaning 'madness' or 'frenzy'. The word first appeared in the early 19th century in psychological contexts to describe individuals who exhibited an obsession with a single idea or concept, differing from broader forms of madness. Initially popularized by the French psychiatrist Philippe Pinel, 'monomania' was used to denote a mental condition where a person is rational in most respects but has one dominant idea. Over time, the term has evolved and is now often used more colloquially to describe anyone with an obsession or single-minded focus, whether it is on a hobby, a work project, or a personal goal.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,638, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.