nympholepsy

[ nim-fuh-lep-see ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural nym·pho·lep·sies.

nympholepsy

/ ˈnɪmfəˌlɛpsɪ /

a state of violent emotion, esp when associated with a desire for something one cannot have

1765–75; formed on nympholept, on the model of epilepsy

C18: from nympholept , on the model of epilepsy

Through solitude this passion may be exalted into a frenzy like a nympholepsy.

But he was busy with his new story, in the throes of nympholepsy, seeing visions, hearing voices.

When the show was over he abandoned Miss Clampett on her door-step and went to his own boarding-house in a nympholepsy.

Nympholepsy is no more a Greek word than epilepsy, and nobody would or could object to epilepsy or apoplexy as a Greek word.

It shows the sensitiveness of the hierarchy that this harmless nympholepsy was deemed worthy of severe repression.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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