A.Word.A.Day --dipsomania

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Dec 22, 2009

This week's theme
Fear and desire

This week's words
agoraphobia
dipsomania
astraphobia
onomatomania
acrophobia

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

dipsomania

PRONUNCIATION:

(dip-suh-MAY-nee-uh)

MEANING:

noun: An insatiable, periodic craving for alcohol.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek dipsa (thirst) + -mania (excessive enthusiasm or craze).

USAGE:

"As the emperor Jahangir began his decline in the old familiar grip of dipsomania (both his brothers had died early of drink), his wife Nur Jahan took complete charge as his proxy."
Sunil Sethi; Jahangir's Josephine; Outlook (New Delhi, India); Nov 27, 2000.

See more usage examples of dipsomania in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence. -Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, author, Nobel laureate (1872-1970)

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