Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

dipsomania

American  
[dip-suh-may-nee-uh, -soh-] / ˌdɪp səˈmeɪ ni ə, -soʊ- /

noun

  1. (no longer in technical use) an irresistible, typically periodic craving for alcoholic drinks.


dipsomania British  
/ ˌdɪpsəʊˈmeɪnɪə /

noun

  1. a compulsive desire to drink alcoholic beverages

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dipsomania

First recorded in 1835–45; from New Latin, from Greek díps(a) “thirst” + -o- connecting vowel + manía “enthusiasm (for)”; see origin at -o- -mania


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

No "psychological" picture is complete nowadays without a case of amnesia, schizophrenia, paranoia or at least galloping dipsomania.

From Time Magazine Archive

It had the Thin Man's pace, bounce and snappy dialogue, exciting murder and air of amiable dipsomania.

From Time Magazine Archive

Some of the cases of hereditary dipsomania are almost surely of this character.

From Essays In Pastoral Medicine by Austin ?Malley

Tell me, how soon can you cure a man of—of dipsomania?…

From In Secret by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

Surely young men and women should be taught something of the causes of zymotic disease, and of scrofula, consumption, rickets, dipsomania, cerebral derangement, and such like. 

From Health and Education by Charles Kingsley

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com