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cacoëthes

or cac·o·e·thes

[ kak-oh-ee-theez ]

noun

  1. an irresistible urge; mania.


cacoethes

/ ˌkækəʊˈiːθiːz; ˌkækəʊˈɛθɪk /

noun

  1. an uncontrollable urge or desire, esp for something harmful; mania

    a cacoethes for smoking

“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


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Derived Forms

  • cacoethic, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cacoëthes1

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin, from Greek kakóēthes, neuter (used as noun) of kakoḗthēs “malignant,” literally, “of bad character”; caco-, ethos
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cacoëthes1

C16: from Latin cacoēthes malignant disease, from Greek kakoēthēs of an evil disposition, from kakos caco- + ēthos character
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Example Sentences

Erasmus shared with most scholars of the Renaissance the cacoethes scribendi.

This cacoethes scribendi is the pest of every local curiosity or public watering-place.

Among the rest she was seized with what we men call a cacoethes of the needle: "a raging desire" for work.

As cool as you like old Peter replied, 'Cacoethes loquendi.'

I do not believe that there are any cases of the cacoethes subscribendi.

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cacoepycacogenics