Word
mania
Phoneticsma·nia
US/ˈmeɪniə/
UK/mˈeɪniɐ/
Definition
n. a mental state where someone has extremely high energy, talks very fast, and feels overly excited or powerful.
n. a clinical state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and energy levels, often associated with bipolar disorder.
Examples
“The new video game caused a mania among teenagers.”
“During the tulip mania of the 17th century, the price of single bulbs reached extraordinary levels before the market crashed.”
“The psychiatrist noted that the patient's sudden burst of productivity was actually a symptom of mania, marked by a decreased need for sleep and rapid speech patterns.”
Examples
simple
“The new video game caused a mania among teenagers.”
contextual
“During the tulip mania of the 17th century, the price of single bulbs reached extraordinary levels before the market crashed.”
complex
“The psychiatrist noted that the patient's sudden burst of productivity was actually a symptom of mania, marked by a decreased need for sleep and rapid speech patterns.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun in a medical context.
Real-World Examples
“Pressured speech - a rapid, frantic way of talking - can be a sign of mania.” “Saltmarsh told me he feels our mania for protein foods has gone so far that we sometimes can’t recognise real protein when it is right in front of us.” “In fact, the witch's hat was Google's most popular Halloween costume in 2021 – before Wicked mania set in.” “I was exactly the right age to be carried along on the first wave of Pokémania, which means that its 25th anniversary celebrations make me feel old.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin mania, from Ancient Greek μανία (manía, “madness”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
tulip mania — Any asset bubble (such as a stock bubble), especially when the irony of human folly that it illustrates is being emphasized.