English Explanatory Dictionary

maniac

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An insane person, especially one who suffers from a mania.
  2. A fanatic, a person with an obsession.
  3. Ellipsis of sex maniac.

Pronunciation

/ˈmeɪ.niˌæk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-maniac.wav

Word forms

maniac maniacs maniack

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *mn̥yétorder. Proto-Hellenic *məňňómai Ancient Greek μαίνομαι (maínomai) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) Ancient Greek μᾰνῐ́ᾱ (mănĭ́ā) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ᾰκός (-ăkós) Ancient Greek μανιακός (maniakós)bor. Late Latin maniacuslbor. French maniaquebor. English maniac From mania + -ac. Borrowed from French maniaque, from Late Latin maniacus, from Ancient Greek μανιακός (maniakós), adjectival form of μανία (manía, “madness”). Compare manic.

Synonyms

madling

Related words

-maniac mania maniacal

Derived words

anthomaniac brainiac Caniac Cobainiac ecumaniac greeniac humaniac insaniac Maine-iac Mainiac Mayniac McCainiac miniac Muslimaniac narcomaniac orchidomaniac Pokémaniac railwayac Remainiac Tasmaniac technomaniac trainiac trichomaniac typomaniac Whitmaniac Yakimaniac
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