kleptomania
Meaninga mania for stealing
Common meaning: an urge to steal
- kleptto stealLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 239 · scan
- maniamadness, frenzyLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 486 · scan
‘to steal’ + ‘madness, frenzy’ → kleptomania
Journey through time
Neither part’s path through time is traced in our sources yet; each root is shown from its dictionary entry.
- klept — Greek κλέπτω “to steal” (dictionary form; path not traced)
- mania — Greek μανία “madness, frenzy” (dictionary form; path not traced)
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
- US IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
Origin: Built on Greek κλέπτω ‘to steal’ + Greek μανία ‘madness, frenzy’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry μανία, p. 486 · dictionary scan
Roots
Related words
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